New scam or genuine? (Telegraph reporter)

[lpool]

We had a bloke turn up today saying he was from the Telegraph and that they were doing an article on houses turning front gardens into driveways as the council was wanting to stop this practice. He wanted to take a picture from the upstairs bedroom window of our front. My wife declined the request. Sounds dodgy (even if he did have a camera with him) as he could just as easily take a picture from ground level. Anyone else had someone saying they are from the Telegraph.

[Nero]

Could be dodgy, but I understand why he wanted to take it from the upstairs window. It'd look nicer than a plain shot from the front. I'd have phoned his editor. Any journo who was asked that would not have taken exception, if s/he were genuine. Nero

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I have heard or read in the last week that it will be harder for people to get planning permission to pave over the front garden willy nilly - porous material must be used. Can't remember source - sorry.

[KalamityKel]

Did you give the Telegraph a call to ask whether anyone there was writing an article?

Why would they need to take a picture from inside your house? Surely one from outside would be enough no?

[????]

erm....

Don't the Telegraph have zillions of stock photos of 'this scenario' to hand rather than sending a random photographer to SE22....99.9% sure it's bullshit

[jim_the_chin]

Did he pronounce it 'Taleegrarph' or 'Teligruf'?

[KalamityKel]

Wots that got to do with anything?

[Jamma]

Well East Dulwich has featured in the Telegraph twice in the last few months. Clearly there's a Telegraph writer moved to the area and mining her own backyard so this could be genuine. Sounds like the sort of story the Telegraph would go for in one of their daft supplements

[Asset]

Likely that a kosher Telegraph journo would have some ID no?

[lozzyloz]

Funny how we say Kosher. I wonder if Rowan is right if in 10 years time we'll be saying 'halal' Telegraph journo?

Back on thread you'd expect s/he to carry an NUJ card. If they didn't flash that first or when asked I'd be a bit suspicious.

10 years ago ED wouldn't feature in the Telegraph unless there was a feature on Sauf London villains in the colour supplement.

[mattham]

sounds like a scam; telegraph would surely be able to afford to send a proper photographer as well as a reporter...even in these austere times.

[Louisa]

I keep telling Mr Louisa to take his tablets and stay in his room. sorry lpool, it wont happen again.

Louisa.

[AllforNun]

Yes i think it should be stopped, it's crap.

[JohnL]

James Kirkup did write a short article on this today - so maybe real.

No pic though.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/09/npave109.xml

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

There is a picture in the hard copy of the newspaper, on page 8. Very pretty too. Don't know if it's E Dulwich though.

[Asset]

AllforNun Wrote:

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> Yes i think it should be stopped, it's crap.

What?

[AllforNun]

The daily telegraph !!!!

Only joking, i mean the practice of turning your front garden into a driveway.