The UK holiday hotspot that’s been compared to Venice – but you could soon be unable to visit

BRIT holidaymakers could soon be unable to visit a popular UK destination from the end of this year.

Bourton-on-the-Water in Gloucestershire is set to remove parking bays used by tourist coaches in December.

Both holidaymakers and travel experts have dubbed the small village the "Venice of the Cotswolds" because of the stone bridges dotted along the river.

The Cotswolds is a popular day trip for holidaymakers across the country.

But Brits who rely on tourist coaches to reach the village could soon find themselves unable to visit.

As reported by the , the parking provisions for tourist coaches are set to be removed.

According to local business owners, Bourton Vale Car Park is converting its coach bays into car-only bays because it's more profitable.

The bays are due to be converted by December.

In an article in the Daily Mail, business owner Sarita Tapper said: "Coaches are a lifeline to businesses and local jobs in Bourton-on-the-Water and have been for over a century."

Andrew Goodacre, CEO of the British Independent Retailers Association told the : "It is hard to imagine why anyone would want to stop people visiting an area.

"After two years of Covid and 12 months of a cost-of-living crisis, the last thing a local business needs is yet more restrictions on footfall and visitors."

Previously, the council paid a subsidy to keep the coach bays open but the funding has allegedly been cut.

There are now only eight coach bays at Bourton Vale Car Park, and advance booking is required.

Coach companies across the country run day trips to Bourton-on-the-Water from various UK cities.

A spokesperson from Cotswold District Council said: "While it is wholly the decision of a private business to change their operations, since learning of their decision the District Council has been proactively working with the local community and stakeholders, including Bourton Business Network representatives, to look at options for the future.

"We have explored alternative sites and different arrangements but so far none have been found that would be practical. This work will continue over the coming months as we explore all avenues.

“We have also been liaising with tour operators to try and manage the reduced capacity now offered by the private car park operator."

And this isn't the only popular destination that has implemented measures that will reduce the number of holidaymakers.

Earlier this year, Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands, announced that it wanted fewer holidaymakers from the UK.  

As part of a new tourism strategy, the island plans to declare itself a "tourist-saturated area," and will look to welcome fewer tourists who have greater spending power.

Lanzarote isn't the only tourist hotspot in Spain that plans to reduce its reliance on Brits.

The Balearic Islands, which include Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza, have become the latest holiday destination in Spain to ask for fewer Brits.