A tiny UK village is being swarmed by tourists, as locals are not left with enough space, it has been reported. More than 90% of 200 residents in Bourton-on-the-Water, known as "the Venice of the Cotswolds", said visitors are blighting their lives, a survey found. 94.6% of residents think there are too many visitors, 90.8% suggested they have a negative impact on their quality of life, 92.6% believe the running of traffic and parking needs to be improved, and 82% suggested Bourton has lost its sense of community, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
A spokesperson for Bourton Residents' Voice suggested the survey shows what residents have been complaining about is "real, widespread and getting worse".
The community is being "pushed aside", they added, also emphasising that their stance is not one of stopping visitors from enjoying the area, but aims to restore "balance", and ensure that it "remains a place where people can live, not just visit".
Gloucestershire County Council's cabinet member for Public Health, Communities and Fire, Councillor Paul Hodgkinson, said the authority is "leading a new initiative to get to some solutions as quickly as possible in place", adding that a "workshop" is scheduled for April, during which stakeholders will "look at the whole village and its parking and traffic challenges", The Oxford Mail reported.
Bob Ransford wrote on social media: "My great-grandfather, who left there in 1898 and came to Canada, likely never imagined his little Bourton-on-the-Water hometown would become such a bustling tourist attraction and his home would become a chip shop and the Old Bank Rooms."
Maddison Tiffany wrote: "I have 4 children from 2yo - 7yo and we don't like Bourton. It's always rammed... I would pick a village outside of the tourist trap for an easier life personally. (Bourton on a weekend is a nightmare)"
A visitor, Mikaela Hurtubise, wrote on March 29 about a negative experience.
"We came to Bourton-on-the-water today on our way home from holiday," her post read.
"It is beautiful and a great stop off. It was spoilt however by a resident thinking he owned the streets and telling us that we shouldn't park in them!!!
"This attitude is not good for your tourism industry, but if residents need parking by their properties because they don't own their own drive etc, then maybe the council needs to implement restrictions for them.
"It definitely wasn't a nice start to our visit."
But Michael Davis is more sanguine on the issue.
He wrote: "Everyone here moans but honestly it's lovely. Nice and safe to raise children. Yes middle of afternoon will be busy with tourists but if you work you won't be in at that time anyway."
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