Mansion owner ordered to stop renting home to wild hen parties
ROWDY hen parties have been banned from a luxury mansion after angry neighbours complained about the noise.
Michael Cameron took bookings for up to 30 guests per night at his nine-bedroom property.
The house in West Linton, Peeblesshire, boasts a gym, hot tubs, cinema room, games room and also offers a private chauffeur service.
Mr Cameron specialised in hen party bookings but also accepted guests for birthdays and special events.
He had 35 bookings last year, with use of the mansion costing up to £8,000 for a week.
But after investigating neighbours’ complaints about noise, Scottish Borders Council issued an enforcement notice ordering Mr Cameron to stop renting out the house.
The 57-year-old businessman protested, claiming he had been letting the property for at least ten years without incident, and has appealed to the Scottish Government.
In a letter outlining the appeal, Mr Cameron’s lawyers wrote: ‘The notice says that the use of the property for short-term visitor stays is having “a detrimental impact on residential amenity”.
‘Mr Cameron had been made aware of complaints and so reasonably assumed that if he addressed the causes of activities giving rise to those complaints he could reassure the council he was taking the matter seriously and
‘Doesn’t care about neighbours’
minimising the impact of the behaviour complained of.’
Mr Cameron, a director of the family-run Dominion Cinema in Edinburgh, plans to remove two hot tubs from the rear of his property and intends to move a barbecue area.
He will also engage a night ‘duty officer’ to monitor noise.
The website for his house features several reviews from guests. One said: ‘We booked Linton Lodge for its location to Edinburgh and the fact it slept so many.
‘It looked amazing on photos but they cannot get across the true wow factor you get when you see this house for real.
‘We were lucky with the weather all weekend and spent most of our time in the hot tubs (which are fantastic) or on the front lawn... this house made a hen party into a trip I will never forget. It was just perfect.’
But neighbours claimed the parties had shattered their peace. One, who asked not to be named, said: ‘It’s beyond a joke now. It’s getting worse. Edinburgh Council are putting a stop to these things so I don’t know why that can’t happen here.’
Another said: ‘It’s clear he doesn’t care about the neighbours. He ignores us.’
In a letter to Mr Cameron, the council said: ‘The regular turnover of visitors, combined with guests having access to outside entertainment areas is having a detrimental impact on neighbouring residential amenity.
‘The house, while having nine bedrooms, is advertised as being able to accommodate 15-30 guests, with the master bedroom being advertised with six double beds along with another of the bedrooms being advertised as having four double beds, not normally found in a residential property.
‘The characteristic of the use, where guests are generally visiting for a short period of time, and the numbers of guests being accommodated, has led to an increase in late night activity and disturbance within the area.’
It added: ‘A material change of use of the property from a dwelling house providing residential accommodation to a short-stay commercial visitor accommodation has occurred.’
The council said it had received ‘regular reports of disturbances’ and there had been ‘numerous complaints to Police Scotland’.
Police Scotland confirmed it had been called to the property during the summer.
Mr Cameron was unavailable for comment yesterday.
A reporter will issue a decision on the appeal at a later date.