Described by poet William Morris as ‘the most beautiful village in England,’ this quintessentially British Cotswolds location has seen a huge surge of visitors in recent years.
Bibury in Gloucestershire was crowned first in a ranking of the 50 most beautiful villages in the world by Forbes Magazine in September, and its history dates back to the Iron Age.
Known for its 17th-century terrace of weavers’ cottages, which have featured in the backdrop for films like Stardust and Bridget Jones’s Diary, the village can attract up to 20,000 visitors on weekends – more than 30 times its ordinary population.
But with coaches of daytrippers navigating narrow roads, the rise in tourists has led to traffic congestion, parking disputes and gridlocks.
For much of the year, locals claim it becomes like the Wild West, with cars and coaches bringing thousands of people into the tiny community.
The increase in visitors is partly driven by so-called influencers promoting the tiny villages with a population of 600 as perfect day trip destinations from big cities such as London on social media.
Now, after Bibury villagers called for action and formed a working group that included councillors and the police, Gloucestershire County Council has announced plans to tackle the problem.
Following a trial scheme implemented in May, which temporarily closed existing coach bays and created designated, safer drop-off and pick-up points for coaches, the council is now planning to make these changes permanent.
Bibury in Gloucestershire was crowned first in a ranking of the 50 most beautiful villages in the world by Forbes Magazine in September and its history dates back to the Iron Age
Described by poet William Morris as ‘the most beautiful village in England ,’ this quintessentially British spot in the Cotswolds has seen a huge surge of visitors in recent years
The increase in visitors is partly driven by so-called influencers promoting the tiny villages with a population of 600 as perfect day trip destinations from big cities such as London on social media
It says they ‘will create a safer and more attractive public space for the community and tourists’.
The council is also proposing to implement a loading bay and disabled spaces at this location.
Further measures include extending yellow line restrictions to prevent parking issues from being created elsewhere.
The council said it will make public realm improvements, including raised kerbing and seating areas, which ‘will help pedestrianise parts of the village centre and improve the character of the village’.
If approved, the measures could be implemented by early summer 2026.
A survey will run from November 10 to December 3, allowing locals to share their views.
It comes as coaches have already been banned from going into the centre of nearby Bourton-on-the-Water, dubbed the ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’, because of similar issues to those in Bibury.
The plans sparked a war between locals amid fears that banning coaches could make Bourton-on-the-Water a ‘ghost town’.
The council said it will make public realm improvements, including raised kerbing and seating areas, which ‘will help pedestrianise parts of the village centre and improve the character of the village’
Serious parking and congestion issues led to enraged locals calling for the ban as they say Bourton-on-the-Water ‘cannot cope’ with the huge influx of visitors.
Sarita Tapper, who runs a clothes shop in much-loved Bourton, warned the move could result in local businesses folding.
Sarita, 54, who has worked at Chestnuts Fashion Fix for 32 years, told Daily Mail: ‘Could businesses fold? Definitely. If the coaches stop, our earnings would drop 50 per cent. You’d find the same with a lot of other local businesses.
‘People coming on coaches, they save up, it’s a special day, they spend, they utilise the facilities. Whereas people coming by cars don’t necessarily spend.’
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