Crime & Safety
Cotswolds locals lose access to village amid tourism boom
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.
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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.
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“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.”
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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.
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.”
The worker, whose gender, age or role has not been disclosed, received “non-life-threatening” injuries on shift at Culham Campus on Wednesday, April 8.
The incident involved a one-tonne dumper machine, with soft tissue injury to the sub-contractor’s leg.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is also aware of the incident and is making enquiries.
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Culham Campus, at Clifton Hampden near Abingdon, is a UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) research institution for sustainable fusion energy to maximise scientific and UK economic benefit.
The Culham Campus, owned and managed by the UKAEA, hosts between 2,500 to 3,000 people working in fusion research and related technologies.
A spokesman for the UKAEA said: “An incident involving machinery occurred at Culham Campus on 8 April, in which a sub-contractor received non-life-threatening injuries.
“Emergency services attended, and the person involved is receiving treatment.
“UKAEA’s number one golden rule for site is: ‘Work safely at all times’, and our thoughts are with the injured person.
“The incident is being investigated, and it would not be appropriate to comment further while the investigation is underway.”
The HSE’s spokesman added: “We are aware and making enquiries.”
Thames Valley Police said it could not find any record of the incident.
Kimberley Cameron, 27, died after being hit by a police vehicle while out for a run, crossing a pelican crossing on the A41 in Aylesbury in 2021.
PC Philip Duthie, 41, who is currently working on “restricted duties”, will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court accused of causing death by careless driving on April 27.
This follows a reinvestigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
At around 4.45pm on April 16 2021, PC Duthie was responding to a report of a serious incident when his vehicle struck the 27-year-old.
The IOPC stated: “We decided to carry out a reinvestigation in 2023 after considering new evidence from the inquest into her death.
“After completing our reinvestigation in December 2025, we sent a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which authorised the charge of causing death by careless driving contrary to section 2B of the Road Traffic Act 1988.”
Thames Valley Police said: “The force’s thoughts remain with the family and friends of Kimberley Cameron, and all those affected by this incident.”
In October 2022, an inquest at Beaconsfield Coroners Court heard Kimberly described as an “aspiring, kind and thoughtful person” and a much-loved daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, friend and colleague.
Known to her loved ones as Kim and Kimmy, a statement from her family revealed her dream was to become an NHS nurse before following in the footsteps of her dad and granddad in becoming an RAF officer.
The senior coroner for Buckinghamshire, Crispin Butler, had noted that the cause of the death following a post-mortem was “multiple injuries”.
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