A London Bridge tourist attraction has a new painting that staff believe is ‘cursed’, claiming ever since it arrived they’ve had ‘bad luck, heard noises and been chased by figures.’
The painting, which depicts a young girl with stern-looking eyes, was just meant to be a part of the new show at The London Bridge Experience – but staff have got more than they bargained for.
James Kislingbury, Managing Director at the venue – an interactive walk-through attraction that combines history and horror – said he came across the painting when shopping for props for their Halloween adult-only show.
“The show is all about being cursed,” he told us. “I spotted it in an online auction and thought it would make an interesting talking point.”
Mr Kislingbury bought the painting for £1,600. But he said when he travelled down to Hastings to pick it up, things started to get ‘weird.’
“The seller had bought it from a charity shop,” he told us. “It had already been returned before by people claiming it had a creepy aura.”
He said when he asked the lady why she was selling it, she claimed things had been happening to her: “She said a figure had chased her and her dog wouldn’t stop barking at it. She had kept it in a cupboard ever since she bought it.”
“As I was leaving, her mum turned to me and said – ‘do you know what you’re letting yourself in for?'”
Mr Kislingbury added that before he started working at The London Bridge Experience – which was voted the UK’s scariest attraction – he “didn’t believe in this kind of stuff,” referencing the paranormal.
However, on picking up the mysterious artwork, he said he instantly noticed ‘weird things happening.’
“My car broke down on the way back,” he claimed. “And since it’s been here at London Bridge, staff have been complaining of hearing weird noises and being chased.”
He continued: “The other day I was alone on site and found myself humming along to music that was playing. Then it suddenly dawned on me – ‘Who was playing the music?'” he said. “It’s really creepy.”
“Some staff say they feel like they’re being followed and won’t even be in the same room as the painting.”
Shannon Fagan said she’s worked there for nine years and has ‘definitely noticed’ the curse – but she added that she doesn’t believe it to be harmful.
“The other day I was here on my own and I saw a black swooshy figure go through the door in front of me,” she told us.
“We are used to things happening – once in a while, people say they’ve seen things, you know. But since this painting arrived it’s every other day now.
“I don’t think she means any harm though.”
Mr Kislingbury said some staff members did not know about the idea the picture was ‘cursed’ before now.
And yet – the streak of bad luck goes on. “The wifi completely failed across the whole building the other day, and the washing machine broke as well,” he told us. “I broke my collarbone the other day as well.”
“Of course, things have happened before. It’s a venue that holds a lot of history so we have always felt strange activity.
“But it seems to have gone to a different level.”
Despite the ‘bad luck’ they claim to have experienced, Mr Kislingbury said they don’t plan on getting rid of the painting anytime soon. “We’re definitely going to keep it where it is – it’s got a new home with us.”
He added that they are keen to find out more about it: “If anyone can tell us anything about the artist or the history behind it – we’d love to hear it.”
For Halloween this year, The London Bridge Experience is hosting two Halloween shows – a daytime family-friendly one for younger guests and for older guests, there is an evening adult-only scare show Cir-Curse, featuring the new ‘cursed’ painting.
Are you brave enough to face her?
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