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Primrose Hill residents say their street is being “pimped” out for the sake of tourist profit as Airbnb announces the opening of a Paddington Bear experience for three nights only.
The Paddington film franchise has already earned a cult following since the release of its first two titles, documenting the life of the Peruvian bear living with the Brown family at the fictional Windsor Gardens in London.
Despite the films’ success, locals who live in Chalcot Crescent, where Windsor Gardens and Paddington’s home was set, are already raising concerns that their picturesque street is being overrun by tourists and social media influencers.
Now, ahead of the UK November release of the third film in the franchise, Paddington in Peru, Airbnb has announced it is temporarily transforming a house into a replica of Paddington’s home for three families to stay for just three nights.
While the transformation will only be for two weeks, residents, including brand and retail expert Mary Portas, have complained that their street is now being “pimped for profit”.
In a group letter written by residents, obtained by the local paper the Camden New Journal, they said that while their street has been frequently visited by tourists throughout the years, “it is the Paddington franchise to date that has created the current flow of tourists”.
“An expensive media campaign will only amplify this and have an increased negative impact on all of our lives,” the residents wrote.
“Overall, we are getting tired of feeling that our street is being pimped by corporations for their profit.”
Airbnb has run similar projects in the past targeting loyal fans, such as renting out Prince’s Purple Rain house from the 1984 classic film or offering stays at Ted Lasso’s favourite pub in Richmond.
The short-term rental company is slated to donate £20,000 to the Primrose Hill Community Association, a local group that runs events and activities within the area, as part of their agreement. It has also invited local residents to look inside the renovated house and attend an exclusive screening of Paddington in Peru.
However, locals say that “the project is getting in the way of the locals living peacefully on their street going about their daily lives” and that “Chalcot Crescent is our home, our real world. It is not a public or commercial venue”.
One anonymous resident told The Times that while they don’t mind their current visitors taking pictures, the problem is that they “don’t behave”.
They added: “We feel that since the Paddington films, we’ve been inundated with TikTokers. People just point their cameras through my front window; it’s like living in a zoo, it’s like being a zoo animal.”
However, some residents believe that the attention their road has got from the Paddington franchise has been positive.
One family, whose young children are fans of the films, told the outlet: “It has always been an attraction in the crescent and every single weekend there will be people posing.
“But it’s one of the reasons we sacrificed space for the location and how lovely the neighbourhood is.”
Airbnb told The Independent in a statement: “As part of our campaigns, we are committed to giving back to the local area. In this instance, we are making a sizable donation to the Primrose Hill Community Association. This donation will support local projects such as the Open House Project, which is aimed at elderly people, a flagship food programme that provides for people in need, and the upkeep of the Primrose Hill Community Library.
“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.”
The Independent has contacted the Primrose Hill Community Association for comment.
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