U.S. mogul Donald Trump versus one wily Scotsman

By Karyn Chenoweth Oct 22, 2007, 16:55 GMT

Donald Trump in Scotland EPA/STR

"The Donald" aka billionaire Donald Trump, the mouth from Manhattan, has a formidable opponent in a Scottish land grab for a luxury golf-centered residence development.

A tough farmer, Michael Forbes, whose 23-acre-farm borders the American property tycoon's coastal estate in Aberdeenshire, has said no to the real-estate tycoon.

Forbes, a landowner was allegedly offered a job by Donald Trump in return for his farm said he would never sell up - even if it made him a millionaire.

The Glasgow Daily Record reports that Michael Forbes said: "No amount of money in the world would make me give my land to him."

Forbes, a father of one said he would rather become penniless than work for the US billionaire, after it emerged Trump had offered him a job in a bid to demolish his farm to make way for his billion dollar golf resort.

Michael, 55, said to the Glasgow Daily Record: "Trump and his team seem to think everything is for sale. They think money can buy you anything.

"He did offer me a job. He never said what it was or how much - it could have been cleaning his loos for all I know.

"It doesn't matter. I told him I wouldn't work for him if it was the last job on Earth. I wouldn't care how much he paid me, even if it was millions, I will never sell to that man."

CNN reported that Trump has been mired in a feud with the unpretentious salmon fisherman Mike ever since he tried to buy his 23-acre property in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, last year.

Despite Trump's hefty offer, kilt-wearing Michael refuses to sell.  Trump has accused Forbes of harboring a "pigsty" property in efforts to drive up the offer on his property. 

Forbes scoffed at that and said if he had Trump's money, it wouldn't be such an eyesore after all.

Trump wants the land as part of plans to build a golf resort, which would include 500 houses, two 18-hole courses, a 450-bedroom hotel and 1000 holiday homes.

The Glasgow Daily Record reports that the latest stand-off is being likened to the film "Local Hero", in which a US oil magnate tries to buy a fictional Scots village. It was filmed in the Aberdeenshire village of Pennan.

Michael has lots of support for his decision not to sell up. And yesterday, he took part in a demonstration in Aberdeen against property being built at Balmedie, an unspoilt area of golden sands.

People wore t-shirts saying, "Dump Trump" and "Don't Trump on the Dunes" - collected signatures for a petition to be sent to the local council.

Michael said: "I am far from alone in this. A lot of people agree the last thing this area needs is a huge development ruining it."

Trump's project developer, George Sorial, insisted the resort would go ahead even if the Forbeses do not sell, saying developers would build around their land instead.

Neil Hobday, Trump's UK project manager, said: "There would be an abundance of jobs which Mike could have done.

"We offered him a job for life, so he and his family would be looked after.

"He told us he was not interested."

He added that Aberdeenshire Council were due to make their decision on the plan on November 20.