Millionaire accountant is ordered to shut down luxurious £1,400-a-night Airbnb in leafy Cheshire after furious neighbours complained about wild, 'Benidorm-style' hen parties
A wealthy accountant who turned her leafy Cheshire home into a £1,400-a-night luxury Airbnb 'party house' has been ordered to shut it down – after neighbours said their lives were made a misery by raucous hen parties.Forensic accountant Sharon Rotherham advertised her £1.2million architect-designed home near Widnes as 'the Instagram home you can hire' – boasting a home cinema, karaoke garden bar, heated outdoor pool and an on-call masseuse.But while guests and influencers hailed Rotherham House as 'insane' and 'stunning', furious residents in the affluent village of Lunts Heath were less enamoured.They complained to Halton Council that the luxury staycation venue had shattered the peace of their quiet residential neighbourhood, with parties allegedly continuing through the day and into the night.Neighbours branded the gated property a 'nightmare', with one comparing the scenes to 'Benidorm' and another claiming the noise was 'like having a music festival' next door.The lavish home, which slept 12 but accommodated up to 40 guests during the day, was promoted online for hen parties, birthdays, baby showers, christenings and corporate events.Its website also offered access to private chefs and cocktail masterclasses.But residents claimed events at the property had spiralled out of control, with complaints about loud music, shouting, swearing, drunkenness and guests splashing in the pool late at night. The £1.2million architect-designed home near Widnes had been advertised as 'the Instagram home you can hire' But while guests and influencers hailed Rotherham House as 'insane' and 'stunning', residents have been left furious, complaining that parties had ruined the quiet neighbourhood The lavish home, which sleeps 12 but had space for 40 during the day, was promoted online for hen parties, birthdays, baby showers, christenings and corporate events The home boasts a home cinema, karaoke garden bar, heated outdoor pool and an on-call masseuse. Guests can also book cocktail masterclassesIt is not suggested that those pictured at the property are accused of being involved in the alleged anti-social behaviour. One neighbour alleged a man had waved a giant inflatable sex doll from a window, while another claimed men at one event dressed as the Spice Girls.Others complained of Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off being blasted out, live singers performing and guests playing electric guitar in the garden.One neighbour said: 'Our lives have been made a misery because of the parties there. At times it was like having a music festival there. The amount of noise has been disgusting.'Noise complaints were logged by the council on 13 different days across six weeks last summer, according to planning documents.Mrs Rotherham, who grew an accountancy firm from scratch before selling it in a multi-million-pound deal, meanwhile hit back, insisting that she was the victim of 'jealous persons' who 'dislike' her lifestyle.Twenty-two neighbours objected last year when Mrs Rotherham applied to the council for planning permission to allow 'flexible letting' of her home.One neighbour said: 'We are finding it impossible to sit and relax.'Since the summer months have arrived the bookings have been every weekend. Its no way to live your life and retirement.'We have lived here for 38 years and the last six months have been hell. Pictured is forensic accountant Sharon Rotherham, who owns the £1.2million architect-designed home'The only winners are the applicants and partygoers. One well paid and the other going home to sleep it off in their nice quiet neighbourhood.'Another complained of having to endure 'loud music, laughing, swearing, drunkenness, all times of the day', while another neighbour feared their property value plummeting.They wrote: 'We live in a residential area and should not have to put the up with the issues this property is causing.'Another objector said the venue was 'effectively being run as a nightclub 2-3 nights a week slap bang in the middle of a residential area'.The row spilled on to social media in December when complaints about noise appeared on a local Facebook group.In a furious Instagram post, the venue said: 'There is a post about how noisy Rotherham House has been tonight. That it's ridiculous and not fair on the residents.'The guys were in the pool from 7-7.30pm and there's people making comments like that online. There's a pool in the back garden so you have to allow for some noise at times.'We feel it's derogatory to make comments on such a huge group like the one on Facebook, when we aren't on there to defend it.'To bad mouth a business, without talking to them prior is incredibly unfair. There's now comments from neighbours saying they have tried to speak to us time and time again. We can confirm they haven't. Ever.' The row spilled on to social media in December when complaints about noise appeared on a local Facebook group Twenty-two neighbours objected last year when Mrs Rotherham applied to the council for planning permission to allow 'flexible letting' of her home Neighbours have complained about having to endure 'loud music, laughing, swearing, drunkenness, all times of the day' They said their lives were made a misery by raucous hen partiesThe post added: 'Nobody has tried to speak to us face to face AT ANY POINT – we feel sitting behind a keyboard isn't the answer.'Halton Council refused planning permission for a change of use and took enforcement action ordering Mrs Rotherham and her daughter Lucy Wardropper to cease letting out the property.The pair then appealed that decision, claiming that sufficient measures were in place to monitor noise and insisting that the house was primarily used as a family home.The independent Planning Inspectorate, however, upheld the council's ruling this month.Announcing the impending closure on Instagram, the family this week lashed out at the council, claiming Rotherham House had been singled out among other Airbnbs in the area because 'neighbours complained'.They wrote: 'You aren’t allowed to Airbnb your home without planning permission.'It’s just the council don’t have the manpower to go and find all the Airbnbs in the area.'It’s just that Rotherham House was on their radar from early on because we marketed it [and] neighbours complained.'It’s all about ensuring people don’t make any income round here.'Mrs Rotherham also vented her frustration online, writing: 'Another example of the government and council restricting trade and entrepreneurship.'We put Widnes on the map as a positive and they stamped all over us.'Speaking to the Daily Mail Mrs Wardropper said she was 'devastated' over the closure.She said: 'Just this week I've had to refund bookings of £6,000. We didn't have hen or stag parties staying.'There were one or two instances of noise in the summer but I shut them down. The neighbours are taking a load of s***. It was never that bad.'We appealed against the council decision but that has failed and we have just put that up for sale.'The neighbours should be careful what they wish for as we could put migrants in there as we had an offer to do so.'But that's not a route we want to go down.'Promotional material for Rotherham Escapes described the property as a luxury staycation venue offering 'unforgettable experiences' and 'exquisite interiors'. Rotherham Escapes announced that the home 'will no longer be operating as a short-term let' as of June 9It described the house as an 'outstanding contemporary home in one of the North West’s most exclusive residential areas'.Announcing the closure on social media, the family said: 'As of June 9, 2026, Rotherham House will no longer be operating as a short-term let following a planning enforcement decision by Halton Borough Council.'We spent thousands appealing the initial decision, but unfortunately, it is now dismissed. Apparently you cannot Airbnb your home without the necessary planning permission.'This has been a complete shock for us as a family and as a result, we've made the difficult decision to put RH up for sale/for let.'
