Mystery over Chinese tourists visiting UK village revealed

Residents of an unassuming English village were left scratching their heads over the summer when quiet residential streets became inundated with Chinese tourists.

Residents of Kidlington, in Oxfordshire, were baffled by the coach loads of tourists turning up and taking pictures outside their modern houses and in their gardens.

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Pictures of the slightly strange scene were uploaded to the Spotted: Kidlington Facebook page, with locals expressing their surprise at the influx of visitors, considering they were not far from beautiful churches and pretty thatched cottages.

And now, the BBC has revealed that the tourists were reportedly attracted to the area to get a "true sense" of the UK.

A BBC questionnaire was handed to one of the tour guides, who enlightened the residents on why they like to visit.

It read, in part:

Q: We are happy to have you here but why have you come?
A: "Because we don't have [these] in China. Here, we are looking for the true sense of this country. "
Q: Do you like it?
A: "[Yes]. Because the environment makes you feel you are closer to the simplicity of your original self."
Q: What do you like here?
A: "The houses [and] gardens."

The area is reportedly being promoted by Chinese tourist agencies as a beautiful place to stop on the way to Bicester village shopping centre.

One local added: "Many of the visitors live in cities and love to see things like the hanging baskets and little flowers in people's gardens."

Previous speculation as to why people were visiting Kidlington ranged from the fact it featured in Inspector Morse, to the idea that Kidlington is claimed to be the UK's biggest village.

But now we know: It's the charming gardens and houses.

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