Tensions between residents and tourists in Bibury, a small village in the Cotswolds celebrated as “England’s prettiest village,” have heightened following a reported incident during the Easter bank holiday weekend. The village, home to approximately 700 residents, sees a surge of up to 20,000 visitors on busy weekends, many drawn to its iconic 17th-century cottages on Arlington Row, famously described by artist William Morris as the “most beautiful village in England.”
During the recent holiday period, local resident Mark Honeyball claimed his foot was run over by a Range Rover amid a parking dispute. Speaking to the Local Democracy Service, he described trying to prevent a tourist from parking illegally when the incident happened. “I had to call the police on the day and they couldn't get to me as a Range Rover had very nicely run over my foot in a dispute over where they shouldn't be parking and did quite a bit of damage,” he said. He clarified that although his foot was badly bruised, it was not broken. Mr Honeyball added that confrontations with visitors over parking have become frequent, stating, “It's not broken, just badly bruised.” and “He drove on the pavement. I had another one on Monday who I was asking to move off my drive and he just put his car into gear and drove along the pavement at me.”
Craig Chapman, chairman of Bibury Parish Council, described the situation over the Easter weekend as a “complete and utter nightmare,” citing significant traffic congestion caused by the influx of visitors. He recounted instances where vehicles, particularly coaches, struggled to navigate the village’s narrow streets, leading to queues of up to a mile’s length behind a coach unable to turn a corner. Speaking to The Independent, Mr Chapman said, “It was at its worst on Easter weekend because the weather was good. It was a complete and utter nightmare.” He was present with Mr Honeyball during the foot incident as they tried to prevent illegal parking on yellow lines. “We have to do something about it - we can’t let it go on like this,” he added.
The rising number of tourists has been partly attributed to the promotion of Bibury as a charming getaway spot by social media influencers. Its popularity is notably high among Japanese tourists, linked to the historical visit of Emperor Hirohito in the 1920s.
In response to these challenges, village authorities are developing plans aimed at controlling visitor numbers, particularly targeting coach travel. The Bibury Parish Council working group, including police and Gloucestershire County Council representatives, has already initiated changes to coach parking bay layouts to prevent coaches from parking or waiting in a nearby layby. Future measures under consideration include banning coaches from entering the village, reviewing weight restrictions, arranging alternative coach parking outside the village, and implementing bans on coach stopping and parking within Bibury.
These steps reflect local efforts to manage the impact of increasing tourism on the village’s infrastructure and the daily lives of its residents.
Source: Noah Wire Services