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Cotswolds locals lose access to village amid tourism boom

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More than 90 per cent of people living in a village dubbed ‘The Venice of the Cotswolds’ say tourists are blighting their lives, a survey found.

Bourton-on-the-Water, over the Oxfordshire border, attracts 300,000 holidaymakers and day trippers a year, but a new study says locals have had enough.

The village is regularly crowded with people from across the world, and local councillors have already claimed it is being ‘ruined’ by TikTokers.

READ MORE: Leonardo DiCaprio buys £95m Cotswolds castle to study at Oxford University

The Cotswolds village of Bourton-on-the-Water. (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)

There have also been extensive rows about parking in the village, as dozens of coaches regularly arrive packed with sightseers.

But a new survey of its 4,000 residents says 94.6 per cent of residents believe there are too many visitors, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reports.

The survey by Bourton Residents’ Voice, completed by 200 locals, also found 90.8 per cent report a negative impact on quality of life.

It found 92.6 per cent felt traffic and parking are not run properly, and 82 per cent say Bourton has lost its sense of community, the LDRS says.

A spokesperson for Bourton Residents’ Voice said: “This survey shows that what many residents have been experiencing for years is real, widespread, and getting worse.

READ MORE: Multiple arrests made in ‘serious’ police incidents

The Cotswolds village of Bourton-on-the-Water. (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)

“Bourton is not just a destination, it is a community. And right now, that community is being pushed aside.

“This is not about stopping tourism. It is about restoring balance and ensuring that the village remains a place where people can live, not just visit.”

Cotswold District Councillor Paul Hodgkinson said: “The County Council is leading a new initiative to get to some solutions as quickly as possible in place – in April there’s a workshop of all stakeholders to look at the whole village and its parking and traffic challenges.”

Locals today reacted to the survey, as one person said: ”The infrastructure is buckled as we speak, in fact, it is broken.”

READ MORE: Princess Beatrice’s husband gives £3m Cotswolds home life insight

The Cotswolds village of Bourton-on-the-Water. (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)

Another added: ”The place is overrun. Yes, they are welcome, but the village cannot cope.”

But one tourist said: ”6 per cent response from a village of 4,000. That really is a snapshot! Not exactly comprehensive.

”They spend so long advertising it as a tourist destination, now complain about all the tourists.”

Several other Cotswolds villages and towns have seen a major increase in tourism over the past few years, including in Oxfordshire.

Spots such as Burford and Charlbury, as well as just over the Gloucestershire border in Bibury, have all seen dramatic rises in popularity.





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Crime & Safety

Joanna Lumley fans rally around after frightening attack

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The 79-year-old dame is well known for her role as Patsy Stone in the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous, for which she has won two BAFTA TV Awards.

She has also starred in Martin Scorsese’s 2013 hit The Wolf of Wall Street, the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and The New Avengers, among others.

Dame Joanna has several links to Oxfordshire with the actress being awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters by Oxford Brookes University in 2002.

READ MORE: Body found on railway tracks, emergency services confirm

She also backed The Old Bakehouse in Chadlington, leading to a community group stepping in to save the supported living home from closure.

However, it was reported in The Sun that Dame Joanna was targeted by masked motorbike thieves at her £2.5m London house.

The newspaper reported that neighbour and Times columnist Emma Duncan said looked out of the window and could see there was something “untoward” going on.

She said: “I ran downstairs, slung on a coat and sprinted along the pavement towards the noise.

“A group of men on motorbikes had surrounded a car whose alarm was going off. One was yelling ‘I can’t f***ing start it!’”

READ MORE: The Range shopper does poo on shelf before leaving

Dame Joanna reportedly joined in in telling the thieves trying to steal her car to “f*** off” before saying to Ms Duncan: “Darling, it’s so sweet of you to come out.”

Fans of the legendary actress have taken online to rally around the star with supportive comments after the terrifying targeted attack.

Susan Wade said online: “Must have been very frightening for her” while Philippa Peate added: “Poor Joanna – how frightening.”

Pete Bleakley said: “Another ‘unbelievable, dahling’ dinner party story to amaze her luvvie mates with.”





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Police rush to emergency traffic incident along A40

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police rush to emergency traffic incident along the A40 at Witney



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Garden centre one of first to stock Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall seeds

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Yarnton Home & Garden is now also stocking Seed Revolution’s wildflower seeds at its Sandy Lane base.

A dozen different varieties of wildflower seeds from Seed Revolution are now available to buy, including cornflower, field poppy, forget me nots and ox eye daisy.

All the seeds are British and grown in the UK.

The River Cottage organic vegetable seeds available to buy include parsnip halblange, chard fireworks, courgette Nero di Milano and kale nero Di Toscana.

Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall said: “I’m incredibly excited about our collaboration with Seed Revolution, our first ever range of organic vegetable seeds.

“At River Cottage we love working with people who share our values. Together, we’ve produced a brilliant range of seeds for people who want to grow their own healthy produce.

“Our organic seed collection offers customers some of our favourite varieties of vegetables, whether they’re a seasoned gardener or just starting. It means they can grow and take the finest, freshest vegetables from their garden straight to their kitchen.”





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