The small town of Bruton in Somerset has become a magnet for the rich and famous
The Newt Hotel and grounds in Somerset(Image: Western Daily Press)
The quaint Somerset town of Bruton has become a firm favourite for the elite, drawing comparisons to London’s Notting Hill when it was at its peak popularity with glamorous celebrities in the late 90s.
A feature in British Vogue labelled the spot “the new Notting Hill”, however it is also the perfect place for a bank holiday get away, especially during sunnier spells.
Famous homeowners are a considerate few in Bruton, considering it has a population of just shy of 3,000,. These include film director Sam Taylor-Johnson and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who recently starred in Nosferatu. The pair enjoy their downtime in a second home there.
Theatre writer Sir Cameron Mackintosh, the man behind global theatrical sensations like Cats, Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera, also calls Bruton home, residing in an impressively converted 13th century Augustine priory.
Fashion icons Stella McCartney, Alice Temperley, and Phoebe Philo also all own residences in or nearby Bruton, bolstering the little town’s fashionably chic credentials.
Moreover, if one were to throw a party, Bruton wouldn’t be short on musical talent with residents such as Caroline Corr of The Corrs and Dominic Greensmith, drummer for rock outfit Reef.
The first records of Bruton go back to 1806(Image: (Image: Getty))
Recently, Lily Allen has been spotted taking a tranquil break in Bruton’s luxury hotel The Newt.
Allen took to Instagram to share views of her respite at The Newt in Somerset, captioning images of herself in a black swimsuit with “mini break”.
Fans were quick to support the pop sensation with praises, and one user remarked on the singer’s post-breakup radiance, commenting: “Post ‘broken up with a narcissist’ glow up incoming.”
Bruton has even attracted political figures like former Tory Chancellor George Osborne, who splashed out £1.6 million on a five-bedroom abode.
In 2023, Osborne tied the knot at a local church with his now-wife Thea Rogers, where they were met with a mysterious cascade of orange confetti – initially thought to be a stunt by Just Stop Oil, though the environmental group later disclaimed any involvement.
Bruton, a town steeped in history, is home to two private secondary schools and an array of high-end shops and restaurants. Among them is the Michelin-starred Osip, a small farm-to-table restaurant conceived by Merlin Labron-Johnson, who at just 24 years old became one of the youngest chefs ever to receive a Michelin star in 2015. With prices starting from £120 for lunch or dinner, it’s clear that the clientele are not short of cash.
The town is filled with listed buildings and has seen a significant increase in house prices over recent years. In 2020, The Guardian reported that property values had risen by an estimated third in five years.
Cole for Bruton Station before being purchased for residential use in 1976(Image: @ John and Moira Knight)
This surge in prices has left many locals feeling financially excluded from their own town. Local resident Deborah Eaton told the paper: “Bruton is not for locals any more. It’s all fancy restaurants we can’t afford and every other house is on Airbnb for silly money.”