It will soon be much more difficult to visit one of Britain’s most beautiful towns

Everyone knows how downright stunning the Cotswolds are. Ellen Degeneres knows, the Kardashians know, the hundreds of thousands of people who watch Rivals know. But that’s the issue. The Cotswolds is too beautiful for its own good, with millions of tourists overwhelming its small villages every year. Now, one particularly popular spot is pushing back. 

Bourton-on-the-Water (AKA the ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’) is introducing residents-only parking in an effort to relieve pressure caused by high numbers of tourists.  

Gloucestershire county council reported that almost 1,000 people responded to a consultation on the issue. That’s half of all the households in the village. Bourton’s total population is just 4,000 but almost eight times that number visit annually. Findings from the consultation concluded that there was ‘strong support’ for the parking permit scheme. 

The council has now promised funding and is beginning the formal process of introducing a residents parking scheme, which will include another consultation lasting at least 21 days. It hopes that, provided there is enough support, the scheme will come into place in spring 2027. 

That’s not the only thing Bourton-on-the-Water is doing to curb visitor numbers. It’s also trialling coach drop-off and pick-up points, which will stop coaches and buses from driving through the village centre. 

Paul Hodgkinson, county councillor for Bourton-on-the-Water and Northleach, said of the plans: ‘This is about getting the balance right, welcoming visitors while protecting residents’ quality of life, making parking fairer for local people and finding a workable solution for coaches.

‘More than 950 people took the time to share their views and the message is clear: residents want practical action. So do I. The commitment to move forward with a residents’ parking permit scheme, with the aim of making changes on the ground next spring, is a significant step forward.’

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