Rita Ora may have once touted her eco-friendly credentials, but her neighbours in Primrose Hill, North London, are less than impressed with her latest idea.
The singer, 34, who bought her £7.5 million Grade II listed home four years ago, is planning to build a massive gym in the property’s historic sunken garden—a green space that has existed for nearly 150 years.
Neighbours Accuse Rita of Hypocrisy
Locals have lodged formal complaints with Camden Council, calling the scheme an eyesore and accusing the star of threatening a delicate natural habitat.
Their letter highlights the garden’s importance as a sanctuary for butterflies, birds, and even peacocks spotted over the years.
“To destroy the natural ecology in order to build a modern gym is entirely out of keeping with the heritage and calm of this listed property,” the neighbours wrote.
Echoes of Past Statements
The complaint also references a previous article Rita wrote for Architectural Digest, where she described the garden as “my little piece of heaven” and expressed her desire to keep the area free of excessive electrical installations to preserve its natural charm.
Yet, despite these past sentiments, the proposed gym has neighbours worried about potential noise and light disturbances that could shatter the garden’s peace.
This isn’t Rita’s first clash with locals over noise—she’s had disputes at two prior London properties as well.
A spokesperson for the singer declined to comment.
DJ Kim Turnbull Chooses Independence Over Brand Beckham
In other celebrity news, DJ Kim Turnbull’s split from Romeo Beckham in May reportedly had less to do with romance and more with lifestyle preferences.
Sources say the 24-year-old DJ wasn’t keen on being part of “Brand Beckham” and preferred to maintain her independence and street-style persona, rather than the highly polished world of photoshoots and Victoria Beckham dresses.
David and Victoria Beckham in the Spotlight
Meanwhile, Country Life magazine has enlisted Sir David Beckham to guest-edit its October issue and is reportedly hoping to recruit Victoria Beckham for the magazine’s prestigious “Girls in Pearls” page, which traditionally features aristocratic ladies. After all, she is Posh.
Emma Watson Swaps Grunge for Glamour
Actress Emma Watson recently made a dramatic style transformation.
Spotted at the grungy Burning Man festival in Nevada, she braved 50mph winds in a leopard-print outfit and a pearl-covered ski mask.
Just days later, she arrived at the Venice Film Festival in a £2,400 Gucci dress, embodying elegance and sophistication.
Engagements and Royal Connections
Exciting news for TV presenter Annabel Croft: her youngest daughter, Lily Saffron Coleman, is engaged to investment director Felix McCorquodale, who is related to Princess Diana’s stepmother, “Acid” Raine McCorquodale.
Annabel described it as “the most wonderful news” and celebrated the family milestone.
Jeweller Theo Fennell on Celebrity Bling
Finally, jeweller Theo Fennell shared his unfiltered thoughts on Taylor Swift’s engagement ring from NFL star Travis Kelce.
The 74-year-old designer described it simply as “a stone” and admitted he’s not particularly a fan of diamonds.
“I love them as a highlight, but on the whole it just screams, ‘How rich are you?’” he said.