A village named the world’s prettiest by Forbes in 2025 is introducing new bans and restrictions to stop visitors from frustrating locals and overwhelming the place
A UK village named the most beautiful in the world is considering new ways to keep visitors away after strict rules were introduced this summer.
Bibury, in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds, is an undeniably picturesque location. It features honey-coloured stone cottages, a gently meandering river, and a historic, fairytale ambience. Its appeal prompted Forbes to crown it the world’s prettiest village for 2025, roughly 150 years after poet William Morris dubbed Bibury “the most beautiful village in England.”
The cottages of Arlington Row are frequently described as the most photographed and stunning cottages in Britain. Constructed in 1380 as a monastic wool store, it was subsequently transformed into a row of weavers’ cottages in the 17th century.
It’s not difficult to understand why Bibury receives such high praise, with lodging choices including the Swan Hotel and The Catherine Wheel pub both inviting inside and adorned with climbing plants outside. The village’s appeal has placed Bibury firmly on the tourist map. And now, some residents say, things are becoming unmanageable.
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Chairman of the local parking action group, Mark Honeyball, who has lived in Bibury for 10 years, has endured very unpleasant encounters with visitors. He told the Express that he asked a coach driver to move on from some double yellow lines before the unthinkable happened.
He said: “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. The tour operators are the key behind this, the coach operators are doing what the tour operators ask them to do, primarily with people from China, India, and South Korea at the moment.”
As many as 20,000 visitors descended on Bibury in a weekend, with up to 50 coaches parking there daily. That’s an enormous figure for a village with just 600 inhabitants. Now, following a trial during the summer months, Gloucestershire County Council is planning to introduce permanent restrictions on coaches entering the village.
Councillor Lisa Spivey, leader of the council, told the BBC: “Bibury is one of the Cotswolds’ most iconic destinations, but its popularity has created real challenges. These proposals aim to safeguard the village, curb congestion, and preserve its unique charm.
Additional proposals have been put forward to control the chaos. These include:
- Banning coaches from driving through the centre, except at specified drop-off/pick-up points.
- Extending yellow lines to prevent illegal parking and congestion.Introducing pay-and-display parking for visitors, with exemptions for residents.
- Improving short-term parking access, particularly near the village school and church.
- Adding raised kerbs and seating to further pedestrianise parts of the centre and enhance safety.
Restrictions on coaches entering the village were introduced in May. At that time, parking bays in the centre of the village were closed and new public bus stop clearways were installed. The aim was to halt “unsafe coach manoeuvres.
Plans to make these changes permanent are backed by a group called Bibury One, which includes representatives from the local community, parish councillors, coach and tour operators, the county council, as well as Gloucestershire Constabulary.
If approved, the measures could be implemented by early summer 2026.
The picturesque village is home to a 16th-century bridge now buckling under the strain of a staggering 40,000 vehicles rumbling through each month during busy periods.