UK's most photographed street targeted as shops vandalised in 'disgraceful' act

One of the UK's most photographed streets which is known to be the inspiration behind the Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series has been vandalised in a "disgraceful" act. Edinburgh's Victoria street saw a group of vandals covering the stonework and shop fronts in graffiti.

Located in the heart of the city, the street is lined with colourful buildings, and cobblestone pavement, making it one of the most cherished spots in Edinburgh. However, the beauty of the street was destroyed by the vandals this past weekend. Unknown perpetrators targeted the street with spray paint, targeting at least 10 shops with graffiti tags. The shocking incident comes as the city gears up for the biggest art and culture festival, Edinburgh Fringe, which will see artists from across the world.

The Police Scotland said that a report of the vandalism has been received and they are investigating the matter. Shopkeepers on the street said they were shocked to see the graffiti, adding this has "never happened before".

John and Angelina Bowman, owners of a shop called Cuttea Sark on Victoria Street told Edinburgh Live: "This is a city wide problem... people only care because it's a tourist street... its a disgrace. It's impossible to repaint it at this time of year, with all the passing traffic.

"We have been here 28 years and this has never happened before. If I park my car outside the shop, for shop business, I'll get a fine in minutes, but when it comes to vandalism the police don't want to know!"

Angelina added: "These shops are small independents. They can't just call head office and have some guys sent.. they have to pay for it themselves.

"It's not until they hit a place like this (Victoria Street) that people care, but it's a society wide problem."

Victoria Street, nestled within Edinburgh's Old Town, carries deep historical importance and forms part of the city's UNESCO World Heritage site.

Named in honour of Queen Victoria, the street was conceived by prominent architect Thomas Hamilton, renowned for his role in reshaping Edinburgh with neo-classical design, as noted by Edinburgh World Heritage.

The vandals also defaced the revered St Giles' Cathedral-a landmark with over 900 years of history-leaving it marked with spray paint.

Stephen Jenkinson, City of Edinburgh Council's environment convener, told The Express: "First and foremost, defacing any building with graffiti is a criminal offence and I'd encourage anyone with any information on the culprits to contact the police.

"This type of mindless behaviour damages the local environment for everyone, whether they be residents or visitors, and wastes time and money on removing it.

"We've invested in a dedicated graffiti team who will be happy to offer advice to private owners on how best to deal with it and, if requested, to remove it (on a cost recovery basis)."