Residents of a picturesque London street clash with Airbnb amid overtourism fears

Locals told B-17 they’re tired of tourists flocking to the street.

Airbnb’s plan to host a competition for an overnight stay on a picturesque street featured in the “Paddington” movies has seemingly not gone down well with local residents.

Chalcot Crescent in the north London neighborhood of Primrose Hill will be recognizable to fans of the series as it serves as the exterior for 32 Windsor Gardens, the fictional home of Paddington Bear and the Browns, his adoptive family.

The picturesque, pastel-colored row of houses has long attracted tourists looking to add to their Instagrams and TikToks.

But it seems that for locals, the new competition — which offers three families the opportunity to stay on the street ahead of the release “Paddington in Peru” on November 8 — is one step too far.

“We’ve been dealing with this for years and it’s shocking that they would think this would be a good idea,” one resident of Chalcot Crescent, who asked for anonymity to protect their privacy, told B-17 last week. “Frankly, I’m tired of the street being a tourist attraction.”

Chalcot Crescent. 

Another local who also preferred to remain anonymous called the competition a “publicity stunt.”

“It’s getting in the way of our lives,” they said.

In a group letter sent to Airbnb earlier this month, obtained by the Camden New Journal, locals also said that they were “tired” of having their street “pimped for profit.”

“While some may see this as ‘sour grapes’ and the price one must pay to live on a beautiful street, it is the Paddington franchise to date that has created the current flow of tourists,” the letter read.

An Airbnb spokesperson told B-17 in a statement that as part of the partnership to redecorate the home, the company had “made donations to local Community Association initiatives, such as a flagship food programme and local library, to acknowledge this vibrant London neighbourhood.”

“Over the past few weeks, Airbnb has been and will continue to be in direct conversation with local residents throughout the redecoration,” the statement continued.

The company also said it has not disclosed the location of the house, referring to it only as the fictional Windsor Gardens.

In a press release for the competition, Airbnb said bookings for the property would open on November 3.

There may be some good news for residents, however, as productions shot on location can help fuel local economies.

A 2021 report by the British Film Institute (BFI) said that tourists to the UK spent around £890 million (about $1.1 billion) on film-related screen tourism in 2019 alone.

Barbie’s Malibu Dream House. 

It’s not the first time Airbnb has created immersive stay experiences based on popular movies and television shows.

Last year, the company listed a property in Malibu that recreated Barbie’s Malibu Dream House. It also offered people the chance to stay overnight at a pub in Richmond, London, featured in the award-winning Apple TV+ series “Ted Lasso.”