Opera Star Geoff Sewell Faces Council Crackdown Over Unlawful Airbnb in London Garden
He has performed for King Charles, shared stages with Beyoncé, and captivated audiences of 80,000 at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. Yet opera tenor Geoff Sewell now confronts a far less illustrious audience: local council planners in London.
The globetrotting singer, whose classical crossover group Amici Forever sold 3.5 million albums worldwide, has been ordered to cease operating an unlawful Airbnb from the garden of his £1.5 million London home. Camden Council took enforcement action after discovering the 53-year-old and his wife, Simone Lanham, also 53, had been renting out a cabin in their South Hampstead maisonette's back garden to paying guests.
The 'Harmonious Hideaway' That Sparked a Planning Row
The couple advertised the annexe on Airbnb as 'Harmonious Hideaway' for £160 per night. Council officials stated the pair had been listing the retreat since 2023 without ever obtaining planning permission for its use as 'temporary sleeping accommodation'. This occurred amid a wider crackdown on short-term rentals in Camden's exclusive north London streets, where Victorian homes regularly fetch over £3 million.
In enforcement papers, the authority argued: 'Holidaymakers and others staying in properties for short periods are less likely to treat the area with respect for the peace and privacy of permanent residents. Residential amenity is often diminished through noise and disturbance.' Officials concluded the high turnover of guests increased potential for noise at unsociable hours, detrimentally affecting neighbours.
Failed Appeal and Inspector's Findings
Mr Sewell and Ms Lanham, who live with their two children in the four-bedroom property, appealed the enforcement notice. They contended the cabin primarily served as storage and a summerhouse, often hosting visiting family or artist friends free of charge.
However, the independent Planning Inspectorate dismissed their appeal this month. Inspector Jason Whitfield noted 58 Airbnb reviews between October 2023 and December 2024, indicating substantial use. He found the outbuilding featured:
- An open-plan living area
- A kitchen with sink, hob, and portable fridge
- A separate shower room
- A mezzanine sleeping area with a bed
Guests accessed the annexe independently via a side gate using self check-in through a lockbox. Mr Whitfield stated: 'Excerpts from Airbnb reviews paint a picture of a place suitable for a small family with all facilities for independent occupation. Occupancy as temporary sleeping accommodation appears to have occurred for a considerable period.' Despite possibly not being consistently occupied, it remained available for booking throughout.
The couple now have one month to stop using the cabin as temporary accommodation.
From Royal Performances to Planning Disputes
Geoff Sewell's career contrasts sharply with this mundane planning wrangle. As part of Amici Forever, he achieved two No.1 albums and international tours, performing for royalty including the late Queen Elizabeth II, then-Prince Charles, and Princess Anne—who he recalled 'going nuts and waving her arms to We Will Rock You'.
His company, Incognito Artists, specialises in high-end private entertainment, organising performances for elite clients like booking Andrea Bocelli for private events. Sewell has performed with Pink, Beyoncé, Robbie Williams, and Kylie Minogue, and recounted how even Pink struggled to impress jaded guests at a lavish London wedding.
He once described duetting with King Charles, who told him: 'I loved our music. Did you know I played the pirate in The Pirates Of Penzance?' before singing along.
Simone Lanham boasts her own impressive background, having worked in communications in New Zealand, as a CNBC journalist, and helping build Incognito Artists into an international brand with offices in London and New York.
Yet despite these glamorous connections, the couple now face the practical reality of council regulations, highlighting the ongoing tension between property rights and community concerns in London's competitive housing market.
