Village braces for US music's golden couple

LOCALS have welcomed rumours that singer Beyonce and her music mogul husband Jay-Z are thinking of joining the Chipping Norton set.

- By Adam Toms

They say the area in the Cotswolds is ideal as it is already a favourite for celebrities Jeremy Clarkson, Blur's Alex James, the Beckhams and David and Samantha Cameron.

And nobody would bat an eyelid if they do decide to move there, although residents warn that the peace and quiet of the Oxfordshire countryside is a far cry from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles.

Beyonce, 43, kicks off her lengthy Cowboy Carter tour this week so the family's arrival may not be quite as imminent as some suggest.

One of the places the couple and their three children are thought to be focusing on is Great Tew, a 3,500-acre private estate far away from the Cotswold tourist hotpots.

It also lies just a few miles from the celebrity haunt Soho Farmhouse, an exclusive members' club and hotel, and the popular market town of Chipping Norton.