A couple with nine children have revealed how they rebuilt their very lavish lifestyle after nearly being made homeless four years ago.
Fran and Layden Seymour, from Suffolk, appeared on ITV’s Britain’s Biggest Families: 31 Kids And Counting The Pennies, which aired last night, where they shared details of their luxurious life.
The couple – who are parents to Taylor, 21, Oliver, 19, Morgan, 17, Ashton, 15, Jenson, 13, Tristan, 11, Gemma, nine, Xavier, five, and three-year-old Radley – told how they were forced to move into a caravan while in ‘huge amounts’ of debt in 2017.
But their luck turned around after investing in a soft play centre which has enabled them to buy a string of other businesses – with the family now renovating a 15th century pub into boutique hotel for £100,000.
The family now spend a ‘phenomenal amount of money’ on their family, splashing out luxury cars, a Rolex collection worth and Layden even treated Fran to a £2,300 helicopter ride on her birthday.
Fran and Layden Seymour, from Suffolk, are parents to Taylor, 21, Oliver, 19, Morgan, 17, Ashton, 15, Jenson, 13, Tristan, 11, Gemma, nine, Xavier, five, and three-year-old Radley
The couple, pictured before a £2,300 helicopter ride, revealed how they rebuilt their very lavish lifestyle after nearly being made homeless four years ago
‘The thought of not having a big family, we’d be bored, what would we do with our time?’, said Layden.
‘If we thought about what we needed we’d probably think we can’t do it, the reality is actually quite scary.
‘We’re not ones to analyse how much we need, but if you actually think about it, it’s a phenomenal amount of money – so I’d rather not think about it.’
Layden, 50, has invested in a lavish car collection including a Bentley and Land Rover, teasing: ‘I think I have more cars than children, Fran thinks I have too many. I have nine children and would love ten or 11 or 12, it’s the same with cars.’
Layden, 50, has invested in a lavish car collection including a Bentley and Land Rover, teasing:’I think I have more cars than children’
he documentary saw £800 spent on school uniforms and the couple have splashed out £30,000 on electrical appliances for the family. Pictured, their family home in Suffolk
The family has an ‘unlimited’ food budget, with a barbecue for the family consisting of around 60 sausages and burgers, while Fran, 48, can sometimes go through five washes and three dishwasher loads before lunch.
The documentary saw £800 spent on school uniforms and the couple have splashed out £30,000 on electrical appliances for the family, while one of their children’s trainer collections includes a £450 pair he’s sported once or twice.
Fran and Layden’s businesses include a children’s play centre, with the dad admitting: ‘The day we opened this place I had 13 pence in my bank account and that doesn’t feed a family like ours’.
Speaking of the ‘huge debts’ that he had run up, Layden went on: ‘I have been frivolous and careless with money. I’ve earned a lot of money and we’ve lost a lot of money and it has caused us problems in the past.’
Faced with homelessness, the parents were told that they would have each have to be split from half of their children, and each other, had they been placed in a hostel.
A good friend of the couple’s lent them their caravan to live in, and the parents would often go hungry so their children could eat. Pictured, the family while living in their friend’s caravan
‘As a large family, we were told we’d have to have two hostels – split with an adult in each’, said Layden, ‘And so we made the choice that is never going to happen.’
A good friend of the couple’s lent them their caravan to live in, and the parents would often go hungry so their children could eat.
‘There were times the children would say to Fran and I “Are you having dinner”, and we’d say we ate out earlier but the truth was we couldn’t afford to eat.
‘That has created a difference between Fran and I, she worries about ever going back there and I think – we live for today.’
While their businesses were thriving, the pandemic has taken a toll on the family’s income, with Layden admitting: ‘We were very, very happy and then the global pandemic took hold.
Their luck turned around after investing in a soft play centre which has enabled them to buy a string of other businesses
Determined to ensure his family’s future financial security, Layden has set about revamping an old 15th century pub into a chic hotel for around £100,000
‘We went into lockdown it killed our business. It is a massive concern for the Seymour family and I don’t know what the future holds.’
Determined to ensure his family’s future financial security, Layden has set about revamping an old 15th century pub into a chic hotel for around £100,000.
Layden admitted: ‘My experience in pubs is pretty much zero so this is going to be a huge learning curve’.
Fran added: ‘Of course I worry about over stretching ourselves, but when you’ve been there and lost everything you have to take that risk, you think what is the worst that can happen?’
Despite their large investment, Layden hasn’t stopped treating his wife to extravagant presents, gifting her to a helicopter ride and a couple’s massage on her birthday.
Despite their large investment, Layden hasn’t stopped treating his wife to extravagant presents, gifting her to a helicopter ride and a couple’s massage on her birthday
Despite all their huge financial burden, Layden says he wouldn’t trade in his huge family for the world
After telling Fran she was going on an ordinary shopping trip, Layden said: ‘Today is going to be a hopefully a good day, I have a little surprise lined up for her and she has no idea what is going to happen.’
‘Why is their a bloody great helicopter in our field’, said a shocked Fran as they drove through the family’s land.
‘It’s a birthday treat for you Fran’, replied Layden.
A delighted Fran said: ‘Are you mad? I thought I was going shopping and I have a bag and a helicopter, what more can a woman ask for!’
Despite all their huge financial burden, Layden says he wouldn’t trade in his huge family for the world.
‘It’s a wonderful journey and for me to be a dad and to see my kids follow their dreams and follow their passions is the best thing in life’, he said.