We’re sick of vacationers on our well-known avenue… however we hate Airbnb extra
Among the grand pastel-coloured mansions of Chalcot Crescent in London‘s leafy Primrose Hill a row is brewing.
The usually well-mannered, and well off, residents are getting angry and it is nothing to do with plans for a mega basement or selfish parking.
Locals on the millionaire’s row, where homes can sell for £4m, are furious at one neighbour in particular for getting into bed with Airbnb.
But this is because Chalcot Crescent is no ordinary London street – it is the home of Paddington the Bear and there, for its residents, lies the problem.
Neighbours say influencers and tourists flock to the street to take pictures of the home used as the backdrop for the hit blockbuster.
The street sees many tourists and influencers take pictures in the street and soon that may become even worse
Richard Barlow, 69, pictured, a resident of 42 years said he fears there is a ‘great potential for a lot of tomfoolery’ for the Airbnb
The house where the Airbnb for Paddington house will be is currenty being refurbished
In Paddington the Brown family live at the at the fictional 32 Windsor Gardens in Notting Hill.
But a blue-pastel home on Chalcot Crescent is used as the exterior and has become a magnet for selfie-hunting movie lovers and dancing TikTokkers.
The house at the centre of the Airbnb furore is a few doors down and is currently undergoing a transformation to be turned into a Paddington pad for competition winners.
Once finished visitors will win the chance to stay overnight at the ‘home’ of their favourite movie bear.
But its owner has been accused of ‘pimping out’ the street by teaming up with Airbnb .
Locals called the move an ‘an intrusion on a beautiful street just for a commercial sell’.
One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told MailOnline: ‘We find it difficult to talk to her but she has now taken herself away from the noise, whereas we are left with it and she is having none of it. [I’m left feeling] not considered very much.’
Another woman said: ‘It’s an intrusion on a beautiful street just for a commercial sale and it’s a bit very disrupting to us.
‘I have never had this happen anywhere before.
‘They are undertaking an interior renovation. We already have our streets on every travel to London guide and with this it’s going viral, many more people coming down our street.’
Locals, which included business guru Mary Portas OBE, wrote a letter to Airbnb complaining they’re ‘tired’ of having their street ‘pimped’ by companies for profit
Though the Brown family live at the fictional 32 Windsor Gardens in Notting Hill, the blue-pastel home, pictured, in Chalcot Crescent is used as the home’s exterior in the films
Jacob Worth, 25, dancing for a TikTok video, said: ‘I have heard that quite a lot of influencers come down this road, I don’t know if it’s because it’s iconic and to do with Paddington or maybe because of how nice the buildings are’
The street attracts tiktokers who record videos of themselves dancing and taking pictures
Speaking about the tourists, she said: ‘They photograph it and they say this beautiful and they are glad they’ve seen it.
‘What can one do, people stand up by your fence in clutter, and families, I don’t mind that, what I do mind is someone trying to, for her own benefit, reconstruct the interior of these houses for commercial reasons, that’s what upsets us all.’
When asked whether she had spoken to the owner of the property, who she accused of ‘just wanting to make some money’ she added: ‘We have got six weeks for this to end. We find it difficult to talk to her but she has now taken herself away from the noise, whereas we are left with it and she is having none of it. ‘
‘[I’m left feeling] not considered very much. What can one do?’, she added.
Another resident, who asked not to be named, explained how a lot of people who live on the street enjoy a discreet life and this will result in that being disrupted.
They said: ‘There are a lot of elderly old people who live here who feel this is going to take away their sense of privacy from the road they live in.
‘Imagine walking out of your front door and seeing all of these people outside your road taking pictures and videos.
‘These are the same people who have lived with tourists coming here all the time and now it’s coming back in an even more intrusive way.’
Other residents say they fear the campaign will have a negative impact on the street’s cleanliness.
Richard Barlow, 69, who has lived on the street for 42 years said: ‘I think there is a great potential for a lot of tomfoolery. Hundreds of people are coming along. A general disturbance.
‘They say that nothing will go on in the streets and it will be all inside the house but this place is already a dump. It’s public squaller versus private affluence.’
Airbnb said it is a ‘temporary feature’ and that the ‘space will be restored in a matter of weeks’.
The company stressed that in the marketing campaign for the competition, the location of the Airbnb was not disclosed and they have received a great deal of positive feedback from residents.
As part of the campaign, Airbnb is also donating to the local community association to support local projects of £20,000. However, this doesn’t seem to have changed some residents’ minds.
Mr Barlow added: ‘It’s all very well if they want to give £20,000 to the community centre but at least they want to make a big carnival about it clean the road, pick up the litter, get rid of the weeds.
‘I am neither in support of against it, we’ll see what happens. It has the potential for distress and alarm.’
Josefina Unger with her partner, Diego Riveaux, said: ‘To be honest I think it’s a bit of an exaggeration’ concerning the reaction from the residents
Diego Riveaux, 35, who has only lived in the street for just over a year said: ‘People are nice come take pictures and videos with the houses but that is it’
However, other residents have said they don’t feel their lives are impacted by the street’s fame.
Diego Riveaux, 35, who has only lived in the street for just over a year said: ‘We have known that some neighbours are a bit angry that so many are coming to this road.
‘To be honest we are not from here, we are from overseas living for a year but we are on the first floor so we hear everyone coming all the time and to be honest there never has been a problem. People are nice come take pictures and videos with the houses but that is it.’
PhD student originally from Chile, Josefina Unger, 31 added: ‘With tourists coming in it’s something that lasts for five minutes and then they leave. They don’t bother anyone. To be honest I think it’s a bit of an exaggeration.
‘Probably it’s about the noise, I mean, I study here and I hear it all and to be honest it’s not that noisy.
‘It’s just families coming here, they take pictures and then they go away. But maybe neighbours are expecting it to be quiet all the time, I don’t know.’
Meanwhile, Jacob Worth, 25, a resident who himself was recording a video for his TikTok account added: ‘I have heard that quite a lot of influencers come down this road, I don’t know if it’s because it’s iconic and to do with Paddington or maybe because of how nice the buildings are. From the time that I have seen them here, it’s not been crazy. I come here to record dancing videos because of the coloured houses.’
A spokesperson for Airbnb said: ‘This is a temporary feature and the space will be fully restored in a matter of weeks. In all communication materials, we have not disclosed that the location is in Primrose Hill and in all our publicity we will direct attention to Paddington’s fictional address Windsor Gardens.
‘We respect the community and the homes within it. To ensure transparency, we sent a letter well in advance to inform local residents about this project.
‘We visited the location on the first day of activity, and we also held an on-site meeting in the local library to discuss the campaign, answer questions, and address any concerns.
‘We further invited residents to a meeting for additional discussion and have maintained direct communication with the community throughout the process.’
