Bourton wants to ban BBC Great British Bake Off

​Plans to film a new television series at Bourton-on-the-Water have cooked up a storm.

BBC2 wants to shoot its new prime-time television series The Great British Bake Off on the village green.

But the parish council feels its cherished centrepiece could be ‘overwhelmed’ by a massive marquee and entourage of vehicles.

Parish and district councillor Sheila Jeffery said: “They are trying to cash in because Bourton is known.

“We’re too small and too precious to have them trample all over us. It’s a massive amount to put in the village centre.

“And why do they want to come here – we’re not known for cakes, the Cotswolds is known for its wolds and sheep.”

Love Productions propose to set up a 60ft by 40ft marquee on the green sward, a gazebo to store equipment, a generator on an 8m truck and bring some 15 other support vehicles.

The show, a quest for the UK’s best amateur baker fronted by comedy stars Melanie Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, would also bring in more visitors and could cause chaos unless it was properly controlled.

Councillor Tim Faulkner said: “TV companies can be an absolute nightmare – they never do what they say they’re going to do.”

Colleagues also wondered if the green was even wide enough to fit in the ambitious marquee.

Councillor Alan Palmer said: “Have they taken account of the trees?”

And they wanted to know if any money was going to exchange hands in return for giving the go-ahead.

Parish council village green bookings committee chairman Gill Crippen said: “We only want to give permission if the marquee’s an acceptable size and lorries, equipment and other paraphernalia are not parked on the green or alongside it.

“If they abide by this, I think people will genuinely welcome something of this order in the village and it will enhance it.

“We should point out we have some anxieties and have an on-site meeting.”

But Chairman Bryan Sumner cautiously welcomed the move.

“I feel the programme’s sufficiently relevant and good for Bourton if it doesn’t overwhelm us,” he said.

After the meeting, parish clerk Sue Cretney said: “It’s a one-off series going around the country with each programme showcasing baking of that area.

“They thought of the Cotswolds because we’re synonymous with tearooms.”

It is not the first time film crews have not been welcomed with open arms to the Cotswolds.

In 2006 Stow Town Council snubbed movie-makers fearing they would disrupt trade.

They regretted it after discovering it was Brockworth schoolboy Simon Pegg’s new film Hot Fuzz, which went on to be a blockbuster.