Villagers living near a billionaire’s £16k-a-night celebrity retreat have complained their lives are being blighted by noise and ‘half-naked party-goers roaming the streets.’
Blyth Barn opened its doors in Huntingfield, Suffolk, earlier this year, much to the dismay of locals who had tried to block the ‘all singing, all dancing’ entertainment centre from being built.
The venue is part of luxury holiday firm Wilderness Reserve owned by entrepreneur Jon Hunt, founder of estate agency Foxtons, and consists of 18 large bedrooms, a gym, ice bath, sauna and commercial kitchen and bar used for events.
The company has several other venues across it’s 5000-acre estate, including one where Cheryl celebrated her 40th birthday in 2023. Stars such as Jack Whitehall and Jodie Comer have also been spotted at its sites.
But families living next-door to Blyth Barn have complained its guests are far from classy and instead claim to have had ‘semi-naked drunk guests peering through windows’ and convoys of holidaymakers speeding through the village.
One homeowner claimed to have seen two lost and intoxicated young men outside his house at 6.30am on a Sunday, one in a state of undress and one in a Wilderness dressing gown, following a party at Blyth Barn.
Others have voiced concerns over Land Rovers, minibuses and coaches driving through the country idyll ‘all day and all night’ as well as ‘shouting, screaming and singing’ from as early as 3am.
Villagers had previously complained the application, approved by East Suffolk Council in May, was ‘biased’ after plans for a countryside retreat spiralled into an entertainment venue housing 288 people.
The company has so far declined to comment on the criticisms.
The Blyth Barn estate in Huntingfield, Suffolk, which has enraged locals who say their lives are being blighted by noise and ‘half-naked party-goers roaming the streets
The venue (pictured) is part of luxury holiday firm Wilderness Reserve owned by entrepreneur Jon Hunt, founder of estate agency Foxtons
The small village of Huntingfield which sits just metres away from Blyth Barn. Residents have complained to have had ‘semi-naked drunk guests peering through windows’ and convoys of holidaymakers speeding through the village
Independent councillor Julia Ewart has spoken of her concerns after claims of noise and public nuisance were reported to her.
Ms Ewart said: ‘To have something of such enormity with such wealth wrapped around it, brings challenges like alcohol abuse and so much more.
‘Now, the consequences are huge, and the village is having to live with that. It’s really frightening for people.’
One homeowner posted about their frustrations on Facebook: ‘Anyone hear the two Wilderness Reserve drunks walking along The Street this morning at 6.30am?
‘They, both half naked – one was wearing a dressing gown, came up to my bay window and were staring in.
‘I went out and asked what the **** they were up to; they said they were lost and trying to find their way from Blyth Barn to Chapel Barn.
‘One was so off his face he couldn’t keep his head still and had trouble standing.’
Lori Kingsley Adams, who has lived in the village for eight years, added: ‘We’ve had semi naked drunk guests peering through windows, convoys of 12 to 15 Land Rovers full of guests speeding through the village.
‘We are regularly reporting incidents but I’m afraid nothing happens.’
Mossie Wilderness Reserve, which forms part of the sprawling 6000-acre holiday retreat
Owl Cottage is also one of the retreats that make up the resort and is just a few metres away from the main Blyth Barn compound
Nina Roe, who has lived in Huntingfield all her life and says cars driving to the venue are a ‘frequent source of disruption’
Nina Roe, who has lived in Huntingfield all her life, said: ‘Hay bales have been deliberately positioned to obstruct views from public footpaths, spoiling what was once an open and uninterrupted landscape.
‘Guests and taxis continue to mistakenly use Laundry Lane for access due to unresolved sat nav errors.
‘This is a single-track, residential road that is completely unsuited to heavy or frequent vehicle use, yet it remains a frequent source of disruption.
‘In August, a wedding was held outdoors at Blyth Barn, which was a clear breach of Condition 10 of their planning permission.
‘These repeated incidents have already caused significant negative impacts not only for Huntingfield, but for surrounding villages as well, which are now contending with increased traffic, commercial vehicle access, and out-of-character noise levels.’
The Wilderness Reserve has been contacted for comment.