Bibury villagers 'bemused' over cafe decision amid fears it will worsen 'traffic gridlock'
Summary
People who live in “England’s prettiest village” are “bemused” by a council decision on plans they fear will worsen the frequent gridlock in the tourist hotspot. Bibury, with its Arlington Row of weaver’s cottages, was made famous by textile designer and writer William Morris who described it as “the most beautiful village in England” in the 19th century.
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But this fame had led to the picturesque Cotswold village struggling with overtourism in recent years with motorists and coaches often causing traffic chaos in the picturesque . And now villagers fear things could be made worse if plans for a new cafe at Bibury Trout Farm, which is already very popular with tourists, are approved.
Cotswold District Council considered plans this week to convert the ground floor of existing barns from general storage to a cafe with a shopping area. The scheme includes changes to the lean-to and decking area as well as alterations at the Shoecroft Barn in Ablington Lane.
Consultants working on behalf of Bibury Trout Farm say the plans are sympathetic to wider context of the setting of the original heritage of the barn and outbuildings and would “bring the buildings fully back into use”.
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However, the proposal has proved to be hugely controversial with more than 100 objections amid fears it will put even more pressure on the village which is “already under severe pressure” from tourists. And examples of “dangerous” traffic situations on the Ablington Lane during the early May bank holiday in 2025 was submitted as part of a report to planners by Bibury Parish Council.
The report said the sheer volume of pedestrians walking along the lane to and from the trout farm car parks during was “staggering and blatantly unsafe” as there is no access from the car parks to the village. Parish council chairman Craig Chapman, echoed these concerns at the planning committee meeting, and said they strongly object over highway safety.
He said a group called Bibury One had been set up to find solutions to the highways and parking problems the village faces a consequence of overtourism. Cllr Chapman said Ablington Lane is a narrow rural lane used by residents, farmers and emergency vehicles and is not designed to absorb more commercial traffic. “It has no proper pedestrian provision along key sections.
It is already under sever pressure from existing trout farm visitors and wider tourism,” he said. “The parish council has already stated that the lane is frequently gridlocked, that verges are being eroded, and there is constant conflict between traffic and pedestrians.