Pop stars have often moved to the country when they made their fortunes. But not all of them have been embraced by the rural set.
Jay Aston, who won Eurovision with Bucks Fizz in 1981, has, I hear, antagonised some neighbours with her plans to transform a barn on her estate in Surrey.
The Making Your Mind Up singer, 64, and her husband, David Colquhoun, already rent out a one-bedroom apartment in the grounds of their home as a ‘cosy retreat’ for up to four guests, at £65 a time.
Now, they want to convert a barn into residential accommodation with an open-plan kitchen, family room, living room, office, two car parking spaces and a ‘modest’ private garden. They have applied to the local council for a ‘change of use’ of the green-belt land but residents have poured cold water on the plans.
Eurovision 1981 winners Bucks Fizz in 2017. Jay Aston has antagonised some neighbours with her plans to transform a barn on her estate in Surrey
In a letter, one wrote: ‘Having recently objected with the other neighbours and many other residents to another planning application in the road that also wanted to change the use of land to residential, which did get refused, it worries me about the precedent set. We moved to the road for its rural setting, and the more change of use to residential that is approved, it will change the character of the lane.’
Another objector wrote: ‘We have genuine planning concerns about the impact of this proposal on the local environment and infrastructure.
‘The property is accessed via a narrow bridleway that is already in poor condition. During wet weather, the surface deteriorates severely and often turns into a stream. Increased vehicle traffic … would likely worsen the state of the track and raise safety issues for pedestrians, horse riders, other users and existing residents.’
Council officials will make their minds up later this month.
Peaky Blinders star Tom Hardy makes more money than any Brummie gangster.
I can disclose that the net worth of the business into which the actor, 48, channels his earnings increased by more than £6million last year to a whopping £28.3million.
The performing arts company, 33 1/3 RD, made a profit of £117,000 per week in the year to November 2024, according to newly published figures. Hardy, who also starred in Hollywood films including Inception and Venom, holds £29.6million in cash as at the date of the accounts.
 Boris introduces son Noah, 31, to baby sister Zoe
Boris Becker’s son now has a sister young enough to be his daughter. The Wimbledon champion’s third wife, Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro, gave birth last month to their first child, a girl named Zoe. At the weekend, Boris, 58, introduced Zoe to the eldest of his four children, Noah, 31, whose mother is the tennis star’s first wife, actress and designer Barbara Feltus. Boris says: ‘I’m still digesting this emotional past week.’
The two female founders of new West End venue The House of Sisters Grimm have endured unwanted drama. Speaking at the first night of its London show Inala, co-founder Pietra Mello-Pittman tells me: ‘We’ve gone through a major fraud scandal. We had months of contracts with someone, and then the money never transferred. That man now faces prison.’ She adds: ‘We’ve had funding gaps, letdowns, immigration issues. It’s a huge gamble, a huge risk, but I’m hoping it will pay off.’
Trinny Woodall is worried about the long-term effects of her daughter’s vaping.
Lyla, 22, is her only child with late husband Johnny Elichaoff. ‘It’s challenging when I see her vaping a lot,’ says the beauty entrepreneur. ‘We don’t yet know the damages from vaping.’
Trinny, 61, adds: ‘If I had two cigarettes a day, I kind of know it wouldn’t kill me, but the amount she vapes, there’s all these chemicals going into your body and you don’t know what they’re doing to you.’
Trinny Woodall and her daughter Lyla Elichaoff at the RA Summer Exhibition earlier this year
A Mayfair restaurant named in honour of Queen Elizabeth has won the royal seal of approval. Lilibet’s, inspired by her family pet name, is at 17 Bruton Street, where the late monarch was born. And spotted dining there last week was Queen Camilla. ‘I think she was with her daughter, Laura,’ a fellow patron tells me.
Bridgerton star’s cheeky display
Genevieve Chenneour wore a transparent dress decorated with stars to the launch party for new private members’ club Christabel’s in Soho
Here’s a sight that would have Lady Whistledown’s quill flowing!
Genevieve Chenneour, who played Clara Livingston in the hit Netflix costume drama, wore a transparent dress decorated with stars to the launch party for new private members’ club Christabel’s in Soho.
The actress, 27, recently revealed that she had been attacked by a stranger in London minutes before an audition, months after someone attempted to snatch her phone. She fought off the thief at a cafe in February.
‘I still go out, but just with my friends,’ she tells me. ‘They picked on me because I’m beautiful. When you’re beautiful, people want something from you.
‘And if they can’t have you, they want to prove that they’ve got some power over you.’
