Riddle of why busloads of Chinese tourists visit Oxfordshire village of Kidlington is finally SOLVED…and it’s stranger than you think
The tourists are in fact looking for "the true sense" of the UK in the quiet picturesque village
THE mystery of why Chinese tourists flocked to a tiny Oxfordshire village of Kidlington has been solved - and it's nothing to do with Harry Potter.
It was thought the camera happy day-trippers had been turning up in their coachloads looking for magical set locations, but it was much more simple - they were looking for a glimpse into the "true" sense of England.
But instead of looking for the famous Privet Drive, it now appears groups were hunting for "the true sense" of the UK, according to the BBC.
A guide, who responded to a question sheet handed out to tourists, confirmed it is the quiet environment of the picturesque houses and gardens which attracted them, saying "we don't have [these] in China. Here, we are looking for the true sense of this country".
And they seemed to enjoy picturing the town's modern homes rather than its historical buildings.
Baz Daniels, a resident for more than 20 years, told the BBC he had been in touch with a friend in China and discovered: "Kidlington is apparently being marketed by Chinese tourist agencies as a beautiful English village on the way to Bicester Village shopping centre.
"Many of the visitors live in cities and love to see things like the hanging baskets and little flowers in people's gardens."
Confused locals had watched their new visitors posing outside houses and in people's gardens, and taking selfies in the middle of the street.
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Several other theories for their sudden appearance were discussed on a Facebook page back in July.
These included the town featuring in an old episode of Inspector Morse or Midsomer Murders, or Kidlington's links to businessman Richard Branson.
Locals took to the Spotted: Kidlington Facebook page to discuss the town's mysterious new popularity.
One person who thought the visitors were from Japan wrote: "Whose 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 people's front gardens and against people's cars parked in their drives.
"I must say I do find it hilarious but I am at a loss to understand it all."
Another wrote: Don't knock it, I've been selling them cream teas at £8 a go."
Michael Parsons, a retired electrician who said he has lived on the street "forever", observed that the camera-wielding visitors usually turn up on a Thursday.
He said at the time: "They always come on Thursdays because that's when the bins go out. I have seen them taking photos of the dustbins.
"They tend to get a bit up close and personal to the houses, walking up to the windows and on the gardens.
"They also come up and film the roses. They were mostly taking photos of flowers. I have never seen tourists in the area before," he added. "I have no idea why they might be coming."
Lindsey Axford, a resident of 25 years who lives on Benmead Road with her husband Nick, 58, said Kidlington certainly isn't a quaint or cute English village.
She said: "I have been working in the garden or hanging washing up and they come up and smile. If you interact, they ask for a photo but they don't speak any English whatsoever.
"I'm in the garden quite a bit and it is strange but it is nice. They are very friendly and really interested in everything we are doing.
"I equate it to us going on holiday to Greece or somewhere and taking photos of all the pretty houses. It just seems a bit bizarre when you are in a middle class housing estate.
Retired Netta Robinson, 77, said back in the summer: "It is happening so regularly now that it's become the norm - no one is taking any notice anymore," she said.
"The tour companies obviously drop them off at the bottom of the road. There is a coach there and they come wandering up the road, walking in all the gardens.
"I don't think they really understand that these are private gardens - they probably think it's public land. Nobody is complaining. It is just peculiar.
"I haven't seen them doing anything wrong, but the other day they were asking my neighbour who was mowing her lawn if they could have a go. She said no."
One local business owner said she heard the group had been falsely informed they were visiting an authentic Cotswold village.
She told The Sun: "Somebody seems to think that they're coming under the assumption they're visiting a Cotswold village, which isn't exactly true."
Another said she believed the influx was due to "somebody trying to pull one over on them".
However, a councillor has complained the groups are causing "annoyance and worry" by wandering on people's properties.
Councillor Carole Pack said: "There is a cross roads at the bottom of the high street and I wouldn't say every day, but very very frequently, a coach load of I don't know what - we think Chinese - come.
"They all get out. They wander up and down the high street. They go into people's gardens. They all take so many photos. They walk in people's gardens and up people's drives and all these things.
"We called the police in the end because people didn't like them walking up and looking through the windows and things like that."
Leading Chinese tour operator Beiwei 55, said it was also baffled.
KIDLINGTON: WHAT TO SEE AND DO
With a population of 13,000, tiny Kidlington claims to be “one of the largest villages in Britain”.
But what is there to see in the thriving settlement which sits just 5 miles from Oxford?
Today’s current mystery tourists need not be limited to its modern urban homes and well-maintained gardens – it also contains a shopping centre, a town hall and a “good number” of pubs.
The parish council website also suggests visiting Exeter Close, which it boasts is the village’s “closest thing to a civic park”.
Sports fans are also in for a treat – those hoping to catch some football can see newly promoted Kidlington F.C. competing in Division One of the Southern League.
Eve Baker, a guide, said: "We were discussing this in the office and we have no idea what's going on.
"We have never taken a load to Kidlington. We often take visitors to Oxford but never to Kidlington."
She added that they planned to scour Chinese social media to see if anyone has posted about celebrities visiting Kidlington, or TV shows being filmed in the area.
"All it takes is one person saying on social media that a place is worth visiting for it to completely take off," she said.
Workers at tourist information centre Experience Oxfordshire were also clueless.
Martin Walker, Head of Marketing and Development said: "We've been following the news about groups of tourists visiting the village of Kidlington, and are still to work out their reason to visit.
"We're not entirely sure when they started to visit, but if it's encouraging more people to come and experience everything Oxfordshire has to offer it can only be a good thing."
Take a look at other strange attractions tourists have visited in their droves in the past.
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