A SMALL army of builders toiled at Sir Fred Goodwin’s secluded mansion today (Fri) but the man formerly known as a banker was nowhere to be seen.
Assorted Transit vans, a blue Skoda, black Peugot and grey Land Rover carried workers through the gates and into the grounds of Sir Fred’s grand new home in Colinton, Edinburgh.
The former boss of RBS, 
back on the front pages after getting a super-injunction to stop people calling him a banker, is preparing to move in.
At his present mansion in the city’s Grange district, the vehicles on the drive were more in keeping with their surroundings: a Range Rover and Jaguar.
The woman who answered the door was dressed in a green top and dark trousers.
Asked if Sir Fred was at home she said: “Sorry I can’t help you.”
She gave the same reply when asked if she had any comment to make about the super-injunction story in today’s newspapers.
The sound of heavy locks catching could be heard as she closed the large double white doors.
The Goodwin family is moving from the relatively accessible Grange property to the gated mansion once owned by Graeme Souness after being targeted by vandals.
Back in Colinton, one worker paused briefly before going through the 6ft high metal gates.
Accidentally stripping Sir Fred of his title, he said: “Mr Goodwin is not here today and he’s not likely to turn up with you hanging about.”
Another worker said press had to leave the private road or the police would be called.
“My boss said this is a private estate,” he said.
“He wants you to move away from the gate. If you don’t the police will be called.”
Asked if the order had come from Sir Fred himself the worker admitted it had not.
“It came from my boss but Mr Goodwin is his client.”
Asked if work on the property was finished he said “not yet” and confirmed that Sir Fred was not yet in residence.
Later, back in the Grange, a woman fitting Lady Joyce Goodwin’s description left the house through electric gates driving the Range Rover, but did not speak to anyone.
And a man in his early 20s – believed to be Sir Fred’s son – returned home carrying leather hold all, but he too would not answer the door.
On the street immediately outside the Goodwin’s property, workmen larked around whilst waiting for equipment, but when asked to comment on the recent revelations about Sir Fred, they replied: “We have no idea who you’re talking about.”
