Venice of the Cotswolds split over coach ban
A VILLAGE nicknamed the “Venice of the Cotswolds” has banned coaches that bring in more than 150,000 tourists a year, after new residents complained about the noise.
Businesses in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, say trade will be “killed” if coaches are not permitted to drop off day-trippers.
Residents in the village, which is famed for its tea-rooms, have complained about the noise of coach engines and fumes and have banned them from the only car park.
Around 300,000 tourists a year visit the village, whose nickname derives from its many low-arched stone bridges spanning the River Windrush. Many are day-trippers who arrive in some 3,000 coaches every year.
But landowner John Hackling is ban- ning the vehicles from parking in his carpark from Feb 1. The ban follows complaints from residents in The Larches, a gated community of eight detached houses.
“I’m not going to have someone stood here for 14 hours a day making sure the engines are turned off,” Mr Hackling said.
“To be fair to the coach drivers, 95 per cent are good as gold.” Businesses say the village will be “destroyed” unless the ban is overturned.
Shop owner Melissa Samuel said: “Our business relies on at least 50 per cent of its income from coach parties, and others say the money brought in makes up two thirds of their income.
“Coaches have parked at the edge of the village for at least 40 years, but in the last two years a number of very expensive houses have been built nearby.
“The people who bought the houses in The Larches, which are worth around £600,000 or £700,000 each, have complained to the council about noise and fumes from the coaches.
“Some of the coach drivers start their engines to heat them up for passengers, particularly old people on day trips, but this is apparently causing a nuisance.”
Another worker at a tea room, who did not want to be named, said: “The newcomers think they can turn up in our village and dictate everything.
“The people have come from outside the area and bought their posh houses and suddenly want to change everything. How can a few coach engines upset anybody?
“The residents of The Larches all have a bit of money and think that gives them the right to jeopardise the livelihood of our village.”
Balwinder Kaur, who owns the Cor Blimey fish and chip shop, said 60 per cent of the shop’s trade comes from coach trips. “It’s a beautiful village, and the coaches that come here contribute to a huge proportion of our trade,” he said.
“In the summer, we won’t be able to pay the rent. Everyone will suffer.”
One elderly couple, who have lived in The Larches for just under two years and refused to give their names, said: “We moved here from Surrey in 2014.
“We have a steel fence and a high hedge in our back garden which was installed in an attempt to block the fumes and noise. However, it hasn’t been as successful as we would have hoped. The fence vibrates from all the noise and there can be up to 12 coaches lined up alongside each other.”