A mansion which was once owned by one of North Wales’ most notorious criminals is currently earning rave reviews as a holiday home.
But few of the visitors to Richmond Hall in St Asaph, which costs from £2,500 a week to rent, are understood to be aware of the property’s colourful history.
For not only was the eight bedroom country house with heated indoor swimming pool owned by gang leader and drug dealer John Gizzi but it later became a cannabis farm run by two Vietnamese illegal immigrants.
Gizzi was jailed in 2006 for beating up two homeless men with wooden staves but was released after three years of a five-and-a-half year sentence.
In 2011, however, he received an 11-year sentence at Caernarfon Crown Court after admitting conspiring to bring cocaine into North Wales.
He has since been released.
His nine-strong gang were locked up for a total of 66 years.
After his 2006 conviction Richmond Hall, formerly known as Bronwylfa, was put up for sale under the Proceeds of Crime Act with an asking price of £2.6 million but after the slump in the property market the price dropped to £1.7 million.
It was bought by local woman Julie Jones and her husband, who had previously redeveloped Talacre Abbey, or Westbury Castle.
They lived at Richmond Hall for a while but then let it out, which is when the cannabis farm was developed without their knowledge.
The occupants caused extensive damage but Julie Jones then set about converting it into a luxury holiday property.
“We did a lot of work to the property,” she said.
It has proved a huge success, attracting glowing praise from nearly all the visitors for its range of facilities, which include a swimming-pool, gym, games room, tennis court and accommodation for 20 guests.
The comments on the TripAdvisor website range from “stunning” and “amazing” to “perfect for a big family gathering”.
Many of the guests say they are looking forward to returning.
Julie Jones, who lets the property through the Chester-based agency Sykes Cottages, is delighted with the feedback but admits she doesn’t voluntarily tell the guests about its previous owner.
“It does have a chequered history, and though I prefer not to go into that, anyone who Googles the name Richmond Hall will see John Gizzi’s name,” she said.
“We’re pleased that it’s doing so well because it brings tourists into the area and helps the local economy,” she added.
During the summer months the mansion is let only on a weekly basis, whereas in winter it is let for weekends. It is already fully booked for this summer.
