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Bourton-on-the-Water Sets April Workshop as Residents Decry Overtourism

Officials have called a stakeholder session to craft fixes for crowding linked to social media day trips.

Overview

  • Cotswold District Councillor Paul Hodgkinson said the County Council will convene an April workshop to tackle village-wide parking and traffic management.
  • The village of roughly 4,000 residents has drawn an estimated 300,000 visitors in the past year, according to local reporting.
  • A residents’ survey with 200 responses found 94.6% think there are too many visitors and 90.8% say their quality of life has worsened, though some visitors questioned the 6% response rate.
  • Locals link the surge to influencers on TikTok, with videos and photos showing tourists wading in the River Windrush, crowding grass verges, and blocking roads.
  • People who live in the village describe strained services and a fading community feel, with the heaviest pressure in summer and frequent rows over coach drop-offs and parking.