Locals in Britain’s “prettiest village” have been threatened by visitors, with a coach driver being accused of “punching and kicking” a resident.
Bibury, a stunning village in the Cotswolds, has been plagued with unruly tourists since Covid, turning the idyllic spot into gridlock, with congestion, large crowds and traffic jams now the norm.
The village is home to just 600 people but draws in 10,000 visitors every day, with thousands eager to gain an Instagram-worthy snap in front of the iconic Arlington Row of cottages.
However, not-so-Instagramable are the feuds that have been breaking out in the village between tourists and locals.
Mark Honeyball, chairman of the local parking action group, said he had been attacked by a coach driver after asking them to move off of double yellow lines.
Honeyball, who has lived in Bibury for 10 years, told The Daily Express: “I’ve been physically attacked four times now, but once really quite badly two weeks ago, I was kicked in the chest and stomach and kneed and punched in the face full force by a driver that I’d just asked simply to move on from double yellows at the top of the village.
“The coach drivers themselves are being pushed here by their coach companies, they don’t really want to be here, they find it really difficult to park.”
He places blame on the tour companies, conceding that the coach operators are just following orders.
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Arlington Row of cottages is one of the most photographed Cotswold scenes
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Honeyball said that he reported the incident to the police but is still waiting for an update.
He is not the only local that has been involved in altercations with the drivers. Fellow resident Craig Chapman, chairman of the local parish council, said both he and his wife had been intimated.
“The drivers can be very feisty, I don’t think any of them want to come here, and we don’t want them to. I think it’s a combination of the two, us getting annoyed with them, and them wishing they weren’t here in the first place – they resort to violence. It happens very often, my wife has been threatened, and I’ve been threatened,” he said.
“We acknowledge we are a beautiful village and people are going to come here, but all that we ask is that they are respectful of the local community, and quite honestly if they can’t park then the village is full.”
A 16th-century bridge has begun to show signs of damage inflicted by the weight of vehicles crossing it
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Residents of the village, which was built in the late 14th century, have now come together to form a plan to remove coaches from the area.
They have cited a 16th-century bridge which has begun to show signs of damage inflicted by the weight of vehicles crossing it. At peak times, over 40,000 vehicles have been recorded crossing the structure.
Parking has also become a major issue, especially for coaches as there are only two official bays.
Honeyball said that the coaches’ turning as they try to park has knocked down several residents’ walls.
“It’s like the Wild West. It really is. We’re not exaggerating,” he told The Daily Mail.
Source Agencies
