The Harry Potter franchise was, and still is, one of the most popular. People from across the globe fell in love with the books and then the movies. Now, with entire theme parks dedicated to them, fans cannot get enough. However, even the theme parks cannot compete with the actual shooting locations from the film. Now, Harry Potter fans are flocking to a particular tourist attraction and causing chaos, enraging locals.
'Harry Potter' Fans Cause Chaos At Popular Tourist Attraction, Enraging Locals
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Residents of Glenfinnan, Scotland, are growing increasingly frustrated with the influx of Harry Potter fans who frequent their village. Each year, tons of tourists rush to this area because it is home to a famous bridge. The bridge is the infamous location where the Hogwarts Express travels in the film. In particular, it is showcased in a scene in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, where Ron and Harry are flying their magic car alongside it. One might think that tourism would be beneficial to the village, and in some ways, it is. The constant influx of tourists is great for local businesses; however, the NY Post shares that it has "also put pressure on local roads and limited infrastructure."
Building off of that thought, some visitors even "illegally park on the verges." The mass crowds and lack of space are taxing for both the bridge's infrastructure and the locals' nerves. However, limited space is not the only chaos that these tourists are causing. In addition to taking up too much space, some people are just downright rude when visiting the popular tourist attraction. Robin Pettigrew, a local resident of Lochcarron, spoke with the outlet. Pettigrew admitted that she witnessed vehicles "emptying their chemical toilets in our drains, there in front of the houses." To clarify, "human feces are being dumped in a freshwater drain."
Add that disgusting realization to the now constantly congested roads, and it is no wonder that locals are enraged.
Tourists Are Becoming Tourtourous
Thanks to the film's popularity and social media, this popular tourist attraction continues to gain fame. Pettigrew shared that "the roads were getting gridlocked" due to the large number of people trying to get a glimpse of the location. Additionally, the craze surrounding the location has become so extreme that many tourists lose their composure when visiting. Attraction staff now have to wear body cameras to help protect themselves, as they fear being run over or dealing with fanatic fans.
Jennifer Northcote, visitor experience manager at the National Trust of Scotland, shared that one of the toughest parts of her job is telling Harry Potter fans when they have reached capacity. Not everyone takes kindly to being told they cannot enter the destination they have flown across the world to see. She stated, "In the past, we've had people being driven at. We've had verbal abuse. That's why we've got body cams now."
While the village is in no way suggesting that Harry Potter fans do not come and enjoy the popular tourist attraction, they are looking to minimize the damage caused by them. So, if you ever plan on visiting this location, be sure to be mindful and kind. Also, do your best not to dump your feces anywhere or cause chaos.
