We live by ‘viral’ house covered in ivy – it feels like we’re in a ZOO… now we’re hitting back at glamorous influencers
RESIDENTS living next to a “viral” house covered in ivy have hit back at glamorous influencers who make them feel like they’re living in a zoo.
The unique home on Parliament Hill in Hampstead, north London is covered in a crawling Virginia Creeper.
Locals said they’ve seen hordes of people stopping to take pictures of the property in the last couple of weeks after it went viral on Reddit.
OAP John Webb, 78, said passers-by have been “stopped in their tracks” by the strange house.
The Canadian-born pensioner joked: “What are they hiding behind there?”
The semi-detached house has been at the centre of a heated debate on social media.
Some Reddit users have called the wild green-turned-red fauna “enchanting”.
But others deemed it a very “bad idea”, suggesting the plant will be infested with spiders.
Monica Buchanan, 81, has lived on the road for 28 years – and has noticed people taking snaps almost every day.
Many visitors pass the home on their way up Parliament Hill to Hampstead Heath, one of London’s biggest green spaces.
Monica said some have even gone as close as the front door to get a proper look at the plant.
She said: “I was asked if I would get a photograph outside it and I said no you can’t, I’ll break your camera.
“They need to be considerate. I keep my eye out for anyone coming too close.
Monica added: “I would say what are you doing? What are you looking at?”
Every autumn influencers from across the globe descend on Hampstead to take seasonal snaps.
The area has long been favoured by arty types – from poet John Keats to writer George Orwell.
A blue plaque marking Orwell’s time living on the street is another big draw for tourists.
She said: “One day there was an older woman walking down in front of me.
“I saw her reach out to grab this beautiful rose from someone’s front garden. I said you can’t do that, it’s not yours.”
IVY LEAGUE
Nina Smith is in her late 80s and has lived peacefully on the street for 18 years.
But she once saw a stranger try to step into her flat when she opened the door to him.
She said: “I was here alone and I just said, If you don’t get out any minute now, I’m ringing the police.”
With large properties in Parliament Hill averaging over £2million and the street is somewhat of a magnet for thieves, the pensioner said.
In Nina’s apartment block alone, her upstairs neighbour’s sports car was stolen and another’s wheels dismembered during the night.
Despite the added attention the ivy-clad Victorian home has brought to their street, she feels it’s a welcome addition to the street.
Lorraine Gomez, 36, a cleaner from Brazil, called the terrace home “beautiful and different”.
She said she often sees people stop to take pictures of it when she’s working down the road.
I’m sick of supermodels rubbing their naked bodies on my pink house – I’ve set up a camera to catch them in the act
Another house that captured the attention of hundreds of influencers was Peter Lee's eye catching pink property in West London.
The grandad under siege from scantily-clad strangers posing outside his pink house said the scourge was “worse than ever”.
Hundreds of X-rated models, brides and Hen Dos flocked to Lee’s eye catching property for years – many taking racy snaps.
He lived quietly for decades in the arty Notting Hill spot until the “social media phenomena” exploded several years ago.
Since then, he’s seen semi-naked women rub themselves on his front door and supermodels throwing tantrums.
It’s a “breath of fresh air” compared with the other uniform red-brick homes, said Monica Buchanan – who likened them to Stepford Wives.
“People get up their own backside about nature, which is why this house with the ivy is so special”, she said.
But this could be the last year residents get to enjoy the house’s leafy exterior.
Owner Clare Kitchen, 58, told My London that they plan on removing the vine and painting the front, 25 years after her mother planted it.
Although a “shame” to see the creeper go, many residents agree it will likely bring a welcome change for the occupants.
A neighbour pointed out this is the first time the windows have been cleared for months, having previously been blocked by the vine.
Despite this, the area around Hampstead Heath is not set to lose its popularity any time soon.
Tourists are constantly flocking to infamous boozer The Magdalen at the bottom of the road, said bartender Robbie Hourston, 25.
Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in the United Kingdom, shot her boyfriend David Blakely outside the pub in April 1955
Zoran Tancic, 77, who moved to Hampstead from Serbia 11 years ago, said the area will always be sought-after because of the Heath.
“I’m proud to live here. I love that people come here. They’re always laughing,” he said.
What are your property boundary rights?
Overgrown trees and hedges: According to Citizens Advice, If the trunk or main stem of a tree or hedge is on your land, you own it. If it’s on the boundary between properties, you’ll need to check the legal documents you got when you bought your home. They’ll indicate where the boundary is and might say who’s responsible for the tree or hedge.
Trespassing: It is not classed as a criminal offence and in most cases, this is not a matter for the police. The Met Police recommends asking the people to leave, if you feel safe to do that.
Photography: There is no law preventing people from taking photographs in public but If they are taking photographs from private land, they need to have the land owner’s permission.