Jamie Oliver forced to increase security as migrant camp just miles from home expands
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, 51, has been forced to increase his security due to rising concerns about the growing migrant camp just minutes from his home. Located three miles from the Naked Chef’s countryside estate is the controversial RAF Wethersfield, an abandoned air force base, where migrant numbers have soared from around 800 to over 1,300 in 2025. The Labour government had promised to close the site, which houses around 800 men aged 18 to 65, with the capacity to hold up to 1,700, a promise that remains unfulfilled. The camp is reportedly staffed by "inexperienced students," raising concerns among locals.
The expanding size of the camp and the government’s failure to close it has left the chef worried for his home and family and eager to protect them. The Daily Express can exclusively reveal that Oliver has heightened his security at his 70-acre Elizabethan mansion, Spains Hall, telling friends he "doesn’t want to feel his wife and kids are not safe home alone because an immigrant camp is parked on his doorstep."
A source close to Oliver and his family said, "Jamie has had to substantially beef up his security detail—he’s called in the ‘A-team’ of security firms that also cover a few other well-known and high-net-worth estates in the region. Jamie has spent a lot of money on this and wants to ensure his manor is kept safe with immediate alerts for any unwanted intruders.
"Since moving in back in 2019, Jamie has done so much for the place and poured millions into restoration, so locals feel it would be sad to see him go, but at the end of the day, he is determined to protect his family home."
A representative for Oliver declined to comment when approached by the Daily Express.
The migrant camp is on the edge of Finchingfield, an idyllic North Essex village that features pastel-fronted cottages, a quaint tearoom, and a lake at its heart.
The locals told the Daily Express they don’t see many migrants, who live just moments from the high street, which they believe is due to the lack of roads around the village. A lifelong resident said, "They have shuttle buses that take them to places like Colchester and Chelmsford, so they very rarely come into little villages like this."
However, knowing the camp is on their doorstep has still sparked concerns, with other locals saying that if the migrant camp were to grow any bigger, they would become more fearful for the village residents.
World Affairs Correspondent
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