An angry Saltaire resident claims the historic Victorian village is being ruined by attempts to promote it.

Angela Williamson, of Caroline Street, Saltaire, believes villagers' interests are being ignored in favour of business and they are being made to feel like characters in a TV series.

But her views are odds with the Saltaire Project Group - formed to promote the interest of the village - on which she sits as a residents' representative.

Mrs Williamson's comments come after the T&A revealed two more TV companies are bound for the village later this year.

"I live here but you can't walk on the pavements, you can't park your car, there's pollution, noise and people looking in your windows. I didn't buy this house as a tourist attraction," she said.

"It's time that the needs of residents were taken into account and put before the needs of local businesses. It's dawned on me that I'm just a token rep. They want the residents to be some walk-on novelty characters in a TV series. It's a village where people have to live, not a tourist attraction."

But Councillor Phil Thornton, chairman of the Saltaire Project Group, said: "It's unfair for her to criticise that we're just promoting tourism. The group was set up to look at Saltaire as a whole, not just the businesses but for the benefit of residents."

Saltaire residents were split on the issue. Kenneth Whittaker, 65, a Saltaire resident of 15 years, said: "I would agree with her. People like to come here and look at these houses but all they can see are cars parked everywhere. It does feel like you are living in a goldfish bowl."

Wilfred Ames, 74, who has lived in George Street for 42 years, said: "I think she's right. Traffic is a real problem. My son can't park when he comes to visit and he's got a permit."

However student Oliver Dean, 16, of Shirley Street, said: "She's talking rubbish. It's bringing money into the area. It used to be quieter here but it's not that noisy."

T&A Opinion

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