Mystery Tourists in Oxfordshire Village of Kidlington

A number of press reports today have appeared about mystery tourists stopping by in the English village of Kidlington, Oxfordshire. They seem to be taking 'selfies' photgraphing local homes and even trespassing into people's gardens for a quick photo.

Residents of an Oxfordshire village have been baffled by the weekly appearance of "coach loads" of tourists in their road. Groups of sightseers in Kidlington have been seen posing for photos in front gardens and against parked cars. Locals have no idea why the quiet suburb, about five miles north of Oxford, has become a tourist magnet. Inspector Morse, Love Island and Harry Potter are among the causes suggested for the tourists' interest. The phenomenon was first identified in Benmead Road and the Moors on the Spotted: Kidlington Facebook page.

Source : BBC News

Who's idea was it to turn Benmead road into a tourist attraction?? coachloads of Japanese tourists with their usual multiple cameras seem to weekly be turning up in Benmead road and proceed to pose for photos in peoples front gardens and against peoples cars parked in their drives????? i must say i do find it hilarious but i am at a loss to understand it all 😊 😊

Source : Spotted Kidlington

....."(It's) because (the tourists) are being told that this is a Cotswold village. "It then saves the organisers having to drive them to the proper Cotswolds. "It's also easy for them to take the train from Parkway after to Bicester Village." Other notable mentions for the village are that Thomas Beecham developed his powders here and Sir John Vanbrugh stayed nearby while building Blenheim Palace


Source : Daily Mirror UK

......'People in the area have got their own views on it all. I have no personal grievance but for example there are gardens where people have benches out and the tourists will just wander in and pose for selfies on them.'

Another villager, Simon Jones, 34, said 'There are quaint chocolate-box thatched houses in the village and an ancient church, but the tourists are taking selfies in front of bog standard modern homes.

'It's really weird and nobody has a clue why Kidlington, and Benmead Road in particular, has suddenly become world-famous.'

Another said: 'The latest lot arrived at midday on Saturday...a busload of tourists disembarked with their selfie sticks, taking pictures of people's houses.'

Source : Daily Mail (sorry!)

Pity no one seems to have bothered to ask these tourists what's going on?

They seem to be of South East Asian origin but surely some of them can speak English. It could be they are on a tour of Britain and simply want to visit a typical English village.

Anyone from the area know what's going on?

a reply to: mirageman

Pity no one seems to have bothered to ask these tourists what's going on?

a more direct approach would be to ask the coach driver [ they are alledgedly coming in " coach loads " ] why he // she is bringing them there

or would that be too easy ?

a reply to: mirageman

but, they are taking pictures of them, makes you wonder who's stranger LOL

a reply to: ignorant_ape

Exactly. That is of course if they arriving by coach. Seems to me that no one has thought of approaching the very people who could easily answer the question.

Probably tells them that this village is the fiefdom of the Beckhams, given to them by the queen or something.

Sorry, couldn't resist...

I have a little previous local knowledge which may have a bearing on the logistical question.
On the Oxford by-pass there is a "service area", very close to Kidlington.
If these people are coming by coach, I suspect this is where the coaches are being parked. It would not be a long walk.
From the same place "Park and Ride" buses would take them straight into Oxford itself, so the two tourist destinations could be combined in one trip.

Conspiracy theory angle; perhaps the whole project has been cooked up by the local manager (T.H.F.) as a way of boosting his catering profits.

a reply to: mirageman

A prime pranking opportunity methinks. What 'traditional English pastimes' can we invent?

Can you imagine? So freaking annoying and shameless.

Maybe stop there for a pee break?

These tourists would be visiting bicester village which is a massive hotspot for tourism.
Im sure this is related to those people visiting bicester, and probably a stop off on the way to add to their coach tour.. A quant old English village..

originally posted by: stiver
Maybe stop there for a pee break?

Watering the plants in villagers gardens perhaps?

Maybe their WAYZ app is taking them there ...a round about route to,their destination ....we all know GPS can sometimes take you the long way !

Has nobody set up a souvenir stall yet ?
Keep calm and sell tat.

Has nobody hoyd of the Kidlington UFO yet?

www.uk-ufo.co.uk...

Has anyone considered that they may be tourist from the future visiting 'ancient' England villages to see how people lived many years ago?

a reply to: LookingForABetterLife
That would not solve the main conundrum, which is why that particular village has been chosen.
I was born in a very different village which is much more primitive.

Maybe they're hoping to catch a glimpse of this guy bent over pruning his english rose bushes:

originally posted by: CranialSponge
Maybe they're hoping to catch a glimpse of this guy bent over pruning his english rose bushes:

Yeah baby!

Someone need's to set up a souvenir shop outside there house. Easy Moneh