Students and staff at New College Oxford are struggling to manage the high demand of Harry Potter fans visiting the iconic site.
According to The Oxford Mail, around 70,000 Potterheads pass through the college each year.
The cloisters of the building featured in the fourth instalment of the film series, Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, and have now become a must-see attraction.
Scenes such as the infamous dispute between Mad Eye Moody and Draco Malfoy, where he was turned into a ferret, were filmed at the college.
The Courtyard also appeared where students wore “Potter Stinks badges”, as well as when Harry informed Cedric Diggory that the first task in the Triwizard Tournament would include dragons.
via Google Maps
But the Hogwarts hype is proving too much, as extensive queues and unauthorised entry outside New College are causing significant disruption.
A planning statement admitted: “The current ticket selling strategy is unable to cope with the demands,
“The College is a popular tourist destination with individuals and large organised tours. It has also been used as a film set for various popular features making it additionally attractive for the films’ fans.”
To tackle the issue, New College has submitted proposals to Oxford City Council, in the hopes to “improve and streamline” the location for both staff, students and tourists entering via New College Lane Gate.
Plans include a new gate within the under croft to separate tourists from the college members, as well as a new ticket office to speed up the ticket selling process.
A new gift shop in the Old Lodge has also been proposed, with the chance to sell food, drink and produce from the college’s farm.
The statement added that the designs had been chosen to “satisfy the brief while being sympathetic to the Grade I listed nature of the site”, as the historical importance of the building was considered.
Oxford City Council will decide on the application in due course. Until then, students will have to keep dodging wannabe wizards.
Featured image via YouTube and Google Maps
