A row has erupted between residents of Arlington Row, Bibury and disgruntled tourists, as their picturesque snaps are being ruined by a photobombing, bright yellow Vauxhall Corsa.
Thousands of tourists flock to Arlington Row each year to visit the most photographed houses in Britain, but lately, many have been leaving disappointed. The 14th century cottages, which are the oldest inhabited properties in the UK, owe their fame to appearing on the inside cover of the British Passport.
Semi-professional photographer Robin Lawrence, one of many angry tourists, said:
‘That flipping yellow car…You have an area of outstanding beauty and as a photographer, you are hampered by the car…It gets in the way of photographs. I have cursed the yellow car today.’
Another disgruntled visitor, who had travelled all the way from Slovakia for a glance of the renowned properties explained:
‘It was there and I could not move it. I come across this problem a lot – something spoiling the perfect picture.’Â
However, neighbours of the 82 year old car owner have leapt to his defence. One neighbour in particular, who has lived in one of the national trust properties for the past 23 years, says:
‘Tourists should get a life. They must realise that we live here. These are our homes. Mr Maddox has every right to park there and there isn’t anywhere else he can park…There are plenty of places people can take photographs from without getting the yellow car in.’
Another explains:
‘The residents are annoyed that this has been brought up. It’s unbelievable…We put up with a lot from tourists here. This is absolutely ridiculous. There are more important things in life.’
Allan King, a spokesman for the National Trust, who look after the appearance of the buildings believes the owner of the Corsa is doing nothing wrong.
‘He is, we believe, parking on the highway which he is entitled to do. Because he is not our tenant or parking on our land, we wouldn’t comment on the car.
Ultimately, if you’re planning a trip to Bibury, Gloucestershire to take a photo with your brand new selfie stick, be prepared for a photobombing Vauxhall Corsa. Alternatively, take the photo from a different angle, thus avoiding the vehicle – a solution many tourists have yet to think up it seems.
BT                                                  www.propertysurveying.co.uk                   13.02.15