UK's prettiest village in chaos with 20k tourists and OAPs being told to 'f*** off'

Bibury, hailed by many as one of the UK’s prettiest villages, has become a victim of its own charm, drawing tens of thousands of tourists each summer, creating chaos for its 600 residents.

Once a serene gem, the village is now inundated with up to 20,000 visitors on busy weekends, leading to clogged roads, parking nightmares, and even shocking confrontations.

Lisa Spivey, a county and district councillor in Gloucestershire, told i news: "Years ago, William Morris said Bibury was England’s prettiest village – and it’s been doomed ever since."

Local residents like Mark Honeyball, chair of the Bibury Parking and Traffic Reporting group, are also raising the alarm.

"It was peaceful and quiet once but, now, thousands of tourists come on a daily basis," Mr Honeyball said before adding that the village’s infrastructure is woefully inadequate for such volumes.

"One coach driver told a 92-year-old lady to ‘f** off’ when she politely asked him to move," he shared.

Bibury’s popularity skyrocketed post-lockdown, fueled by social media posts depicting it as a tranquil getaway. However, the reality is far from peaceful.

"Bibury is a tiny village, it’s 270 properties and less than 500 residents, many have been here for multiple generations", he explained to Express.co.uk. "None of us depend on tourism.

"There are huge numbers of people coming from social media that come to visit. We’ve gone from sustainable tourism to, on an average day, sometimes 10,000 people here when there’s about 500 residents."

Mr Honeyball described how up to 80 coaches attempt to navigate the narrow lanes, sometimes blocking emergency vehicles. The influx of tourists has also damaged a historic bridge in the village.

"Some of the coach companies have very bad drivers who literally bang into the bridge", he added. "It’s cracking, and masonry work is falling out of the bottom of the bridge."

Local authorities are exploring solutions, including a park-and-ride system, but Mr Honeyball is sceptical due to the challenging terrain.

He suggested an alternative plan involving a hub outside the village, where tourists could be ferried in by minivans. However, this would require significant investment.

Councillor Lisa Spivey echoed these concerns, advocating for a system where visitors could park outside the village and enjoy a nature trail into Bibury.

She said: "It would be a really great way of educating people about nature and they’d learn more than coming to Bibury and just looking at Arlington Row, and then leaving."

Despite the chaos, Bibury’s residents don’t rely on tourism to make a living, and many would prefer to see the village’s centre pedestrianised.