A MULTI-million pound rejuvenation of a ‘dying village’ by the multi-millionaire founder of Bebo has been put on hold for ‘at least a year’ due to coronavirus.

Tech-entrepreneur Michael Birch, 50, set his sights on breathing new life into the rural and rundown village of Woolsery (Woolfardisworthy) after selling his social media website for $850-million — which he is due to relaunch this year (see below).

Mr Birch said he spent his summers in the Devon village as a child and described having a ‘huge emotional connection’ to the area. His great-great grandfather, built Woolsery village shop, which remained in the family until it was sold in 1961. His grandmother Millicent Andrew was born in the village shop’s premises in 1900, and his grandfather Joseph Burrow was born at Ashcroft Farm.

Mr Birch snapped up three derelict buildings and said he wanted to breathe a new life in the village, making it possible for local people to live, work, and raise a family without having to move away.

It was expected that the plans would be finished by this year, but now project overseer Emily Harmon has announced the project has been delayed by at least a year.

Mr Birch’s buildings in the village include the Farmers Arms pub, an empty manor house earmarked as the site of a new hotel, a fish and chip shop and acres of farmland.

Grateful villagers likened Mr Birch’s support to ‘winning the lottery’.

The San Francisco-based multi-millionaire said he spent all his summers in the village.

Ms Harmon said: “We are trying to turn Woolsery back into a thriving village. That is Michael’s vision.”

The project was due to be completed in 2021, but Ms Harmon said COVID had pushed back the project by at least a year.

In October 2019, MXB Devon Operations Ltd employed 65 people, 37 of whom were from the local area. Since the first lockdown, 23 of those employees have been let go due to the financial strains created by COVID-19.

Despite this, work is continuing at every site in Woolsery. The village shop, where Mr Birch’s grandmother was born, has increased its stock of meal preparation ingredients in order to allow older residents to avoid the larger towns. 

Work has also begun on expanding the building to include a Post Office, which will be visible on entry to the building. 

Renovations are continuing to take place above the village shop, while work is also continuing on the Georgian manor house, which will house a restaurant and 19 hotel rooms.Speaking previously, Mr Birch said: “I have fond memories of drinking in the Farmers Arms and was saddened to hear that it had closed.

“The pub had been closed for a number of years, the manor house had been closed a lot longer.

“It was knowing that I could do it [help] and knowing that I needed to do it. It was in the saddest state I’d seen the village in my memory.”

He introduced himself to villagers after buying the pub by getting in a round of pints for everyone.