The beautiful Cotswold village was able to ban tourist coaches entirely after locals complained that visitors were out at home.
The small village of Beverly on the Corn River in Gloucestershire attracts thousands of visitors a year. When he visited, 19th century textile designer William Morris even called it “the most beautiful village in England.”
However, despite its beauty, the number of tourists is no longer acceptable to locals. Locals say the village is crowded and many tourists arrive during the summer and become like the wild west when they arrive on bank holidays. Tourists cut off roads and paths, walk through people's gardens and take photos at the entrance.
In response, residents, including councillors and police, formed working groups to seek action. The working group wants to encourage tourists to come in other ways, such as walking, cycling, public transport, minibuses, etc.
Gloucester County Council has since announced plans to address the tourism above. More minor measures will be taken first, but if these are not successful, the coach may be banned from stopping in the village by preventing access and changing the layout of the parking lot.
Councillor Stephen Davis, leader of Gloucestershire County Council, said:
“The proposed measures will help us manage traffic more effectively and improve the overall experience of everyone. We appreciate the community's support and cooperation in implementing these changes.
“We understand that these proposals may not be popular with coach operators, but we are determined to work to find solutions that will allow coach tourists to visit Bevery, but this will take time.
“We therefore sought to find a compromise solution that would continue to manage and provide welcoming outcomes while addressing concerns about village safety and crowding.”
Parish Council Chairman Craig Chapman said: “While Beverly residents acknowledge that we live in a lovely village, the pressure put on us by the vast amount of tourists visiting us and the coaches bringing us together has become unbearable and unacceptable.
“This is the beginning of action, but I'm sure it's very positive and I'm sure it's appreciated by the community.”
The nearby village of Bolton on the Water has already banned coaches after an overtourism's “buckling under the weight”, causing fear that a decline in visitors could make it a “ghost town.”
Like Beverly, the village is known as “Venice of the Cotswolds,” attracting thousands of visitors a year. Similar conversations about overtourism take place in Whitby, North Yorkshire, Salcombe, Devon, and Padstow, Cornwall.
