Bibury, a small Cotswolds village, has been named one of the “world’s 50 most beautiful villages” by Forbes magazine, but locals say the accolade has worsened overtourism. The village, known for its 17th-century weavers’ cottages and water meadow, was described by William Morris as “the most beautiful village in England”. Forbes cited its golden-hued cottages and tranquil River Coln as reasons for its top ranking.
However, Craig Chapman, chair of Bibury Parish Council, called the achievement a “double-edged sword”. He told BBC Radio Gloucestershire: “I’m fairly flabbergasted, having travelled the world, to believe we’re the most attractive village in the world. It’s a great honour, but it’s a little bit of a surprise.”
Bibury has a population of around 600-700 but sees up to 20,000 visitors on weekends. Issues include coach traffic, queues, and tourists climbing over private walls for photos. Mr Chapman noted the village sits on a narrow B-road with a single-lane bridge, causing congestion. Emergency services have struggled to move through traffic, and illegally parked tourists have sparked disputes, including one where a resident claimed a Range Rover drove over his foot.
Last month, a county council leader asked tourists to use smaller vehicles, and coach access restrictions were introduced in May. Mr Chapman said there needs to be “harmony” between tourists and locals, adding that the restrictions are helping. Other villages on Forbes’ list, such as Oia in Greece and Hallstatt in Austria, also struggle with overtourism.
