Selfie sticks to be banned from National Gallery

Tourists in Paris use a selfie stick near Notre Dame cathedral - but the National Gallery has banned the devices. Picture: Getty

VISITORS will not be able to use the gadgets - used by people to take photographs of themselves - at the venue because they fall under the category of tripods, which are already prohibited.

Other cultural destinations in London are believed to be considering a similar move.

A spokeswoman for the National Gallery said: “Photography is allowed for personal, non-commercial purposes in the National Gallery - however there are a few exceptions in order to protect paintings, copyright of loans, individual privacy and the overall visitor experience. Therefore the use of flash and tripods is not permitted.

“Our gallery assistants and visitor-facing staff are fully briefed and instructed to ensure we are striking the correct balance between visitor experience and the security and safety of works on display.

“Therefore they will use their discretion on a case-by-case basis in preventing photography which puts the safety of the collection at risk or obstructs other visitors.”

They have drawn disapproval from traditionalists but selfie sticks have proved immensely popular, with Amazon reporting that sales rose by 301% in the three months September-November.

Boris Johnson, Beyonce and Barack Obama - who used one during a video promotion at the White House - are among those seen with the devices.

However, they have met increasing resistance in recent months.

Tottenham Hotspur banned selfie sticks from White Hart Lane after a complaint from a fan, while they have also been barred at a number of galleries and museums in the US and France.

The online Collins dictionary describes a selfie stick as “an elongated stick to which you attach a camera or mobile phone to take a better photo”.