Residents living in one of the most TikTokked villages in Britain say they are under siege by tourists ruining their home – after it’s revealed that 300,000 day-trippers arrived in a single year.
Bourton-on-the-Water is regularly crowded with international visitors taking pictures and vlogging, after being dubbed the ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’ for its beautiful low bridges which connect it to the River Windrush.
But councillors have claimed it is now being ‘ruined’ by TikTokers, after locals in the small village with a population of just 4,000 had to battle hundreds of thousands of tourists.
Visitors have been pictured standing in the river, blocking roads and causing endless queues at local pubs and bakeries.
In one ironic TikTok posted by user Christopher Lee, who has over 55,000 followers, the vlogging visitor films the quaint village and comments: ‘I am obsessed, this is one place I would love to live in – but it’s just full of tourists.’
Indeed, residents have said they have had enough, with a new survey finding that 90 per cent of those living in Bourton say tourists are ‘blighting their lives’.
The survey by Bourton Residents’ Voice asked 4,000 locals and got 200 responses. It found that 94.6 per cent of residents believe there are too many visitors, and 90.8 per cent reported a negative impact on their quality of life.
It also found that 92.6 per cent felt traffic and parking was not run properly, while 82 per cent say Bourton has lost its sense of community.
A group of women walk near picturesque buildings in Bourton-on-the-Water in summer last year
Footage posted on TikTok shows the grass verges on either side of River Windrush completely flooded with tourists snapping photos or sitting down to enjoy a picnic
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.
‘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.’
Reacting to the survey, one local said: ‘The infrastructure is buckled as we speak, in fact it is broken.’
Another said: ‘The place is over run. Yes they are welcome but the village cannot cope.’
But one tourist said: ‘Six 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.’
A survey answered by 200 residents found 90 per cent felt tourists were ‘blighting their lives’
July and August are understood to be the busiest months in the village, with weekends and bank holidays particularly crowded.
Last year, an annual duck race on July 20 completely packed out the area as people gathered to watch the yellow plastic animals get carried along with the current.
The event, which attracted locals and tourists, also featured a Tombola and ‘Play Your Cards Right’ and was advertised on the North Cotswolds Rotary.
Children and adults were filmed splashing about in the shallow stream in footage posted on TikTok to show off the ‘beautiful English village’.
But in reaction to the video, one person replied: ‘Yes a beautiful English village ruined by marauding tourists.’
Under a different clip showing similar scenes of the village, someone penned: ‘Overrun and ruined by tourists. What used to be a quiet, tranquil little village is now ruined by social media.’
A third added: ‘I feel so sorry for the residents.’
The influx of visitors is partly driven by so-called influencers promoting the village as a perfect day trip destination away from big cities such as London on social media.
Reels posted on TikTok show the grass verges on either side of River Windrush often completely flooded with tourists snapping photos or sitting down to enjoy a picnic.
Holidaymakers are also seen pushing their prams along the water, while others have to wait in line for a spot to sit down and enjoy the view.
