The title of being the most beautiful village in the world is "completely a double-edged sword", the chair of Bibury Parish Council has said.

The small picturesque village in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire, came top of the list when Forbes Magazine unveiled the 50 most beautiful villages in the world for 2025. Despite having a population of 600, 20,000 visitors can flock there over the busiest of weekends in the summer.

Craig Chapman, chair of Bibury Parish Council, said the level of tourism the village faced was "problematic" and its attraction came "at a cost for locals".









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, there's a lot of competition out there."

Many of the thousands of tourists arrive on coaches but restrictions were introduced in May, including parking bays in the centre of the village being closed and new drop-off and pick-up points in their place. Last month, tourists were asked to use smaller vehicles when visiting Bibury to help ease pressure.

"It's completely a double-edged sword," Mr Chapman said. "The issue is very much about the mechanisms whereby people come to the village and when they come here, how they behave, where they park. The reality is we sit on a B-road. The road is narrow, there's one bridge across the River Coln, which is only wide enough for one vehicle. We've suffered greatly from congestion, particularly from the larger coaches."

He added there needed to be "harmony" between tourists and local visitors, and said the restrictions were helping.

New traffic rules planned for 'iconic' Cotswold village


A high number of visitors contribute to traffic issues and road safety concerns

Permanent changes to coach bays in an "iconic" tourist destination have been proposed to improve road safety and manage high visitor numbers.

Bibury, in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds, can sometimes see as many as 20,000 visitors in a weekend, and up to 50 coaches parking there a day.

Following a trial in the summer, Gloucestershire County Council is planning to introduce permanent restrictions on coaches entering the village.

Councillor Lisa Spivey, leader of the council, said: "Bibury is one of the Cotswolds' most iconic destinations, but its popularity has created real challenges. These proposals aim to make the village safer, reduce congestion, and protect its unique character."

Additional proposals include implementing a loading bay and disabled parking spaces, along with extended yellow line restrictions to prevent parking problems elsewhere.

Restrictions on coaches entering the village were introduced in May, with parking bays in the centre of the village closed and new public bus stop clearways installed. Council leaders said the clearways were introduced to create safer passenger drop-off and pick-up areas and to reduce the risk of crashes caused by "unsafe coach manoeuvres".

Plans to make the changes permanent are supported by a group called Bibury One, which includes representatives from the local community, parish councillors, coach and tour operators, the county council, and Gloucestershire Constabulary. Drop-in meetings for members of the public will begin on Wednesday. If approved, the measures could be implemented by early summer 2026.

A survey on the changes is running until 3 December.

Villagers fear overtourism has hit 'breaking point'


Residents of Bourton-on-the-Water say tourists are finding the village to be too busy

Overtourism in a town known as the Venice of the Cotswolds may have "reached breaking point" as residents say visitors are now "fed up" with the crammed experience.

About 100 locals aired their concerns about tourism in Bourton-on-the-Water at a meeting on Thursday with leaders from Gloucester County Council and Cotswold District Council.

Bourton Residents' Voice, a local group that organised the meeting, said it was not against tourism but wanted to achieve a level that was sustainable for the village.

One resident told the meeting at Bourton Baptist Church that visitors seem "fed up" and "massively disillusioned".

"They are not happy with the experience," he said. "It's starting to turn. Perhaps we've reached the breaking point this summer."

One woman, who has lived in Bourton-on-the-Water all her life, said the number of visitors had never been so high, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. "You can't move in the village, you can't go into the village," she said. The woman said the best time for the village was during the pandemic. She added: "I don't walk in the village between March and October."


One resident at the meeting in Bourton Baptist Church said visitors seem "massively disillusioned"

One man told the meeting he had lived in the village for 30 years. He echoed the concerns and blamed coaches for dropping people off "all over the place".

"They cause problems, they block roads, they turn around in the wrong places," he said. "They are a real menace."

Council leaders at the meeting said they would use the feedback to help them find solutions.