Fans von Harry Styles sahen sich in ihrer Gemeinde einer Gefahr ausgesetzt. So haben sie darauf reagiert.
In Holmes Chapel, a small town in England with a population of 6,700, a unique experience awaits fans of Harry Styles, the charming singer and former member of the boy band One Direction. The town has gained international recognition since it was featured in the 2013 documentary "This Is Us," which chronicled the rise of One Direction.
The top attraction for tourists is the viaduct, where Styles had his first kiss and wrote his name on the wall using chalk in the documentary. However, locals expressed concern about the safety of the visitors, as there were an estimated 5,000 fans from around the world visiting the town each year.
To address these concerns, Holmes Chapel Partnership introduced the Harry's Home Village Tour, a gentle stroll lasting between 2.5 and 3 hours that allows time for taking pictures and sharing content on social media. Tour guides, who are experts in the area and its famous resident, share their personal stories about their interactions with Styles.
Jill Booth, a tour guide, remembers how the future pop star once helped her rescue a baby mole her cats had brought into the house, and the mole made its way under the carpet. Booth has known Styles since he was a little kid, as she shared a neighborhood with him.
Another tour guide, Isabella Boughey, aged 21, hails from the fanbase and has held a special place for Styles in her heart since childhood. She recalls watching "The X Factor" with her mother. "He embodies happiness and positivity," she tells CNN Travel.
Graham Blake, the station master at Holmes Chapel Train Station, has greeted fans who've traveled from as far as Australia and Mexico. He remembers Styles, who used to visit the station on his trips to London for the reality show auditions. "He was a lovely lad," and he would wear unique outfits like denim jeans with Calvin Klein boxers and a little hat. At that time, he was always one step ahead of the trends in fashion.
The visitor book at the station has drawn heartfelt messages from fans, and Harry Styles' father, Des, regularly collects them. According to Blake, his job has become much more fascinating since he started interacting with Styles' enthusiastic fans.
Harry Styles memorabilia graces the decorations at the train station's ticket office, and W. Mandeville bakery showcases a life-sized cutout of Styles and another 2D figure. Even the employees at the bakery and the customers are used to the attention Styles has brought to the village.
You can also find coloring books and cocktails named after "Watermelon Sugar" around the town. It must be a difficult place for people with Styles fatigue.
Navigating the English countryside can be a challenge, and visitors are advised to adhere to the Countryside Code of England and Wales. The route to the viaduct is marked by green fields and a river, which is the safe route both the young hero and other local children would have used. However, many tourists repeat the dangerous act of trying to walk along a busy road with a lack of sidewalks, where they may encounter vehicles traveling at up to 50 miles per hour.
On the tour, visitors receive slate hearts to write messages upon rather than adding to the graffiti on the viaduct's brickwork. As Styles' fans reveal their feelings and express their admiration, a herd of cattle comes close and risks trampling them.
Two Australian friends, Phoebe Hodges and Mia Tesolin, traveling together, are delighted by the serene beauty of the village: "I like all the greenery and all the houses," says Hodges, while Tesolin concurs, "The scenery is definitely really beautiful."
The tour has yet to receive an endorsement from Styles himself, but the chair of the Holmes Chapel Partnership, Peter Whiers, indicates attempts have been made to contact his management team via his mother. (CNN also reached out to his music label for a response.)
In conclusion, the Harry's Home Village Tour offers a unique opportunity to explore the life and history of Harry Styles in the town where he grew up. With knowledgeable tour guides, personal anecdotes, and a picturesque setting, this tour is a must-visit for any fan of the singer.
- Beginne deine Abenteuer am Holmes Chapel Train Station Platform, wo du Graham Blake, den Bahnhofsvorsteher, findest, der gerne seine Erfahrungen mit Harry Styles teilen wird, als er für „The X Factor“ probte.
- Gehe durch das Dorf, wie die Einheimischen taten, durch grüne Felder und entlang des Flusses – die sicherste Methode zum berühmten Viadukt.
- Besuche das W. Mandeville Backhaus, wo du den berühmten Mann lebensgroß findest und mit Harry-inspirierten Farbmarkern und „Watermelon Sugar“-Cocktails mischen kannst.
- Nachdem du die berühmten Teigwaren des Dorfes geschmackreich genossen hast, wirst du schließlich das Viadukt mit deinen Schieferherzen in der Hand erreichen, um deine Nachrichten stattdessen mit Kreide zu schreiben, anstatt an die Graffiti hinzuzufügen.
Für den ersten Mal ist Whiers mit Styles im Kontext des Straßenverkehrssicherheitsbezugs verbunden. „Ich glaube, dass ich seine Fahrradfähigkeiten bewertet habe, als er etwa 10 war“, sagt er, da er für die Schüler seines Schulen zuständig war, sie für das Fahrradfähigkeitszeugnis, einen landesweiten Fahrrad-Sicherheitsprogramm, vorzubereiten.
'Nachrichten der Liebe'
Ein Ort, den der Tour übergeht, ist das neu eröffnete Fortune City Chinese Restaurant, das am Freitagvormittag wie jede andere kleinstädtische Speisestätte aussieht.
Allerdings ist es der Ort, an dem 2012 der 18-jährige Harry Styles seine damalige Freundin, die 23-jährige Taylor Swift, auf eine Date gebracht hat. Ein Foto von diesem Moment wurde auf Twitter verbreitet, auf dem Styles viel begeisterter aussieht als Swift.
Whiers erzählt CNN, dass die Fangemeinde hauptsächlich aus jungen Mädchen und Frauen besteht, und sie meistens sehr respektvoll sind. „Wenn du die Kommentare in Grahams Buch am Bahnhof oder auf der Wand liest, sind sie alle Nachrichten der Liebe“, sagt er.
Der Harry Styles-Song „Treat People with Kindness“ hat an Popularität gewonnen, und die Tour um Holmes Chapel war sehr ansehnlich.
Der Verbund begann, den Tour zu bieten, nachdem sie zuvor kostenlose Gehwegkarten produziert hatten. Die Tourkarten enthalten Rabatte für lokale Geschäfte, und sie hoffen auf einen erheblichen Anstieg der Verkäufe von Tour-T-Shirts.
In Japan, Österreich und den Balearischen Inseln kämpfen Gemeinden gegen die Übernahme ihrer Gemeinden durch Touristen. In Holmes Chapel, als das Leben Wassermelonen bot, haben sie Wassermelonenzucker hergestellt.
