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Final Downton Abbey Film Fuels Tourism Boom and Friction in Bampton

Economic gains at the Bampton Community Hub contrast with residents’ frustrations over lost privacy from coachloads of American visitors.

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Overview

  • Coachloads of predominantly American fans continue to descend on the Cotswolds village, with guided tours costing up to £500 per person.
  • The Bampton Community Hub, known on screen as Downton Cottage Hospital, has seen shop revenues peak at £1,000 a day to fund the restoration of the Old Grammar School and village library.
  • Residents like Fabrizio Manerba and Di O'Brien report tourists invading private drives and lingering at filming landmarks throughout the day.
  • Arthur’s Attic antiques and other local shops say the visitor influx has bypassed them, leaving some businesses without the tourism windfall.
  • After 15 years of filming, the forthcoming 'The Grand Finale' film will close the chapter on Downton Abbey’s presence in Bampton.