Spring has officially sprung in Notting Hill’s Stanley Crescent.
For most of us, blossoming trees, blue skies and daffodils all nod to brighter days ahead.
But for residents of this exclusive enclave, the sure-fire sign that winter is over is when a gaggle of social media influencers pitch up in the street to be photographed or videoed next to their colourful blooms.
Yesterday’s sunshine and warm temperatures saw dozens flocking to Stanley Crescent – where the average value of a property is £1.2million – for that perfect Instagram page snap.
At nearby Lancaster Road, just metres from Portobello Road Market, homeowners have reported influencers even undergoing multiple outfit changes outside their doors to get the best shots.
Peter Lee, 80, said his home in Notting Hill is visited daily by people using it as a backdrop for their social media pictures.
The former fashion designer, who has lived in his home for 47 years, said he’s seen people doing the splits in front of his steps – and even balancing on his railings.
Mr Lee said: ‘I don’t really mind the crowds. I have cameras so it does amuse me to just watch their antics.
Yesterday’s sunshine and warm temperatures saw dozens flocking to Stanley Crescent – where the average value of a property is £1.2million – for that perfect Instagram page snap
At nearby Lancaster Road, just metres from Portobello Road Market, homeowners have reported influencers even undergoing multiple outfit changes outside their doors to get the best shots
‘One time, a company seemed to be having a whole photoshoot. They had a little outfit change tent and everything.
‘They actually left a bunch of brand new clothes here – tags and all. I put up a sign, saying to knock on my door to collect them.’
But not everyone is so accommodating. Some owners have even started painting their famously colourful homes black in a bid to stop ‘rude’ selfie-taking influencers from posing outside.
The hottest temperature yesterday of 20.9C (70F) was recorded at Gogerddan in Wales.
In Northolt, west London, the mercury reached 20.2C yesterday, surpassing the previous record for the year of 19.2C on March 5.
Parts of the UK were warmer yesterday than many European holiday hotspots including Faro in the Algarve (17C), Ibiza (18C), Malta (16C) and Corfu (15C).
Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said the higher temperatures are because of warm air being dragged up from further south in Europe.
Mr Madge said: ‘We get this a lot at this time of year, we sometimes joke the warmest day of the year klaxon is going off every day.
‘I think this will be the peak for a while – we are not expecting any further records in the next week or so.’
He added: ‘The values that have been reached today will probably be a high watermark for some little time to come.’
Temperatures are expected to settle later in the week with highs of 17C over the weekend.