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Tourists' photos of famous Cotswolds village 'blighted by bright yellow car'

Visitors flock from around the world to Bibury in the Cotswolds to take souvenir pics of the iconic medieval cottages on Arlington Row

Thousands of tourists visiting one of Britain’s oldest and most picturesque villages have all had their photos photo-bombed - by the same bright yellow car.

Visitors flock from around the world to Bibury in the Cotswolds to take souvenir pics of the iconic medieval cottages on Arlington Row.

The 14th century National Trust-owned cottages - the oldest inhabited properties in the UK - are the most-photographed 'ordinary' dwellings in Britain.

But repeated tourists have all had the same picture blighted by an ‘ugly, yellow car’.

Adam Petrie, 36, takes a selfie at the famous Cotswolds spot - complete with the yellow car in the background. (SWNS)
Adam Petrie, 36, takes a selfie at the famous Cotswolds spot - complete with the yellow car in the background. (SWNS)


Two South Korean tourists take a selfie at Arlington Row. (SWNS)
Two South Korean tourists take a selfie at Arlington Row. (SWNS)


The bright yellow Vauxhall Corsa is owned by local resident Peter Maddox, who claims he has nowhere else to park the ‘banana-mobile’.

Local photographers have complained the yellow car is ruining the idyllic shot of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty's beautiful location.

Arlington Row was built around 1380 from local stone and its image features on the inside cover of the British passport.

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Photographer Lee McCallum sparked a debate when he called the car 'Bibury's elephant in the room'.

He tweeted a photo of the scene from his tour company Kooky Cotswolds account which read: 'Bibury's elephant in the room. The picture postcard street photobombed by the ugly little yellow car - every day.'

Lee does not object to the car being parked there and claims it reflects the 'weirdness of the Cotswolds'.

The yellow Corsa has appeared in countless tourist photos. (SWNS)
The yellow Corsa has appeared in countless tourist photos. (SWNS)


Peter Maddox, 82, with his much-talked-about yellow Vauxhall Corsa. (SWNS)
Peter Maddox, 82, with his much-talked-about yellow Vauxhall Corsa. (SWNS)


But Lee, 40, added: 'Who owns the car? Why is he parking there? Does he know that his car is appearing in so many photos that are appearing all over the world?

'I know the National Trust isn't entirely happy about it, but they can't do anything about it.' 

Semi-professional photographer Robin Lawrence, of nearby Bourton-on-the-Water, Glos., said: 'That flipping yellow car! You have an area of outstanding beauty and as a photographer, you are hampered by the car.'

However, retired dentist Peter, who owns the car, hit back: ‘What choice do I have? There is nowhere else I can put the car.'

Peter, who has lived in a cottage above Arlington Row - on the aptly-named Awkward Hill - for the last 12 years, has no garage.

Sean Farr's holiday photograph of the famous cottages of Arlington Row. (SWNS)
Sean Farr's holiday photograph of the famous cottages of Arlington Row. (SWNS)


He said: 'They can come and talk to me. I would just tell them there is no where else for me to put it.'

Retired Francome Robinson has lived in one of the National Trust cottages for the past 23 years.

Francome, 71, said: 'Tourists should get a life. They must realise that we live here. These are our homes. Peter has every right to park there and there isn't anywhere else he can park.

'There are plenty of places people can take photographs from without getting the yellow car in.'

Resident Terence French, 62, who works in security, described the issue as 'a storm in a tea cup'.

He said: 'The residents are annoyed that this has been brought up. It's unbelievable.


'We put up with a lot from tourists here. This is absolutely ridiculous. There are more important things in life.'

The National Trust said that they had no influence over where Peter parked his car as  he is not an Arlington Row tenant.

Spokesman Allan King said: 'He is, we believe, parking on the highway which he is entitled to do. Because he is not our tenant or parking on our land, we wouldn't comment on the car.

Although the National Trust paints the houses on the famous street in colours based on historical evidence, they have no power as to what colour cars residents are allowed.

Residents have a car park at the rear of the row that does not obstruct the view of the cottages.