Fury as clubbers helicopter in to exclusive Soho Farmhouse

SOHO Farmhouse is so fashionable that even Prince Harry secretly entertained his girlfriend Meghan Markle there. But the rural retreat now finds itself at the centre of an increasingly bitter row over its wealthy members. For neighbours are livid about the number of patrons choosing to fly in by helicopter to the private club in the Cotswolds. And locals have raised their voices in anger at a meeting of Westcote Barton parish council.

‘People are furious,’ one claims. ‘It’s bad enough that Londoners hurtle down the country lanes in their Chelsea tractors, but now we’ve got choppers flying in as well. It’s like a scene from a Vietnam war film some days.’

A letter published by West Oxfordshire district council confirms: ‘Reference was made to nuisance now being caused by helicopter traffic to Soho Farmhouse.’

The dispute comes after the club near Chipping Norton — and once described as a Butlins for A-listers — applied for permission to accommodate guests in glorified pigsties.

Plans to build ten corrugated iron and timber ‘arks’ to provide an extra 40 guest rooms horrified locals, who claimed the proposals would increase traffic on the already congested country roads.

Retired judge Charles Harris was among those to protest. He said the pods ‘look like something from a smart part of Soweto... if people want to stay in tin shacks, they should go elsewhere’.

Rupert Massey, clerk and treasurer of Westcote Barton, said Soho Farmhouse had led to increased traffic on the roads. Most visitors were ‘London types... not used to driving on small country lanes’.

One local, Charles Heneage, wrote: ‘Every day I am almost driven off the road by cars that are clearly driven by members of Soho House, most of them speaking on hand-held mobile phones.’

The retreat, which costs from £350 a night for non-members, opened in 2015 on a former farm in Great Tew. Its launch party was attended by David and Samantha Cameron, Eddie Redmayne and Daisy Lowe.

‘We have not received any complaints about helicopter noise, but take any feedback from local residents very seriously,’ insists a Soho Farmhouse spokesman. ‘There are very few visits by helicopters to the Farm and we will continue to make sure these cause as little disruption as possible.’