'Overtourism getting worse in Venice of the Cotswolds'

18 hours ago

Chloe Harcombe,West of Englandand

Carmelo Garcia,Local Democracy Reporting Service

Residents in Bourton-on-the-Water have spoken out as problems are "getting worse"

Getty Images Images of tourists stood near water talking pictures in Bourton-on-the-Water. There are yellow-stone houses in the background near trees. — Residents in Bourton-on-the-Water have spoken out as problems are "getting worse"

Issues created by overtourism in a village dubbed the "Venice of the Cotswolds" are getting worse, a new survey shows.

About 92% of residents in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, reported traffic and parking issues. The village attracts 300,000 visitors every year, while only 4,000 people live there.

A spokesperson for Bourton Residents' Voice, which conducted the survey, said: "What many residents have been experiencing for years is real, widespread, and getting worse."

Gloucestershire County Council councillor Paul Hodgkinson said the authority is leading a new initiative to get some solutions "as quickly as possible".

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The survey of more than 200 villagers found that 94.6% of residents thought there were too many visitors, while 90.8% reported that tourism had a negative impact on their quality of life.

Residents also reported losing access to public space, reduced safety, and a growing sense that the village is no longer designed for those who live there.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, 92.6% of those who took part said traffic and parking management was not managed effectively.

Andrew Lund-Yates said the tourism situation needed to be "managed better"

Andrew Lund-Yates. He has short grey hair, no facial hair and is wearing a blue and white pinstripe shirt. He is looking at the camera, squinting in the sun and smiling — Andrew Lund-Yates said the tourism situation needed to be "managed better"

Andrew Lund-Yates, owner of The Old New Inn, The Model Village and secretary of the Bourton Business Network, said he understood the concerns felt by the residents, but added that businesses "absolutely" needed visitors to survive.

"There are concerns - we all recognise that as a community - and we want to make the best for everybody.

"We're very fortunate to live in such a beautiful part of the world, but the knock-on effect of that is that people want to come and see that as well," he said.

Lund-Yates added the Bourton Business Network was working with the local authorities to find a way to "manage the situation better".

A spokesperson for local group Bourton Residents' Voice said the survey provides a clear mandate for action and the survey "replaces anecdote with evidence".

Councillor Hodgkinson said in April a workshop is being hosted to look at parking and traffic challenges.

"I want to see some real delivery after that to help people deal with the impact of tourism on their day-to-day lives," he added.

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