Jeremy Clarkson’s pub opening attracts huge crowds
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Hundreds of people queued to be the first inside Jeremy Clarkson’s new pub for its grand opening.
Based in Asthall, near Burford in Oxfordshire, The Farmer’s Dog opened to the public at 12:00 BST.
The former Top Gear presenter revealed earlier this year he had paid “less than £1 million” for the pub, previously known as The Windmill.
There are fears the venture could bring more traffic problems, following the success of his Diddly Squat farm shop.
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Mr Clarkson told reporters why he wanted to open the pub.
“We wanted to have that restaurant on the farm last year and we couldn’t, and pubs, they are all for sale.
“So, we thought instead of building a restaurant we would buy a pub.”
He described getting ready for the opening as “terribly stressful”.
“There’s just so many things about running a pub you don’t think about.
“Yesterday we had the soft opening and someone’s managed to smash the lavatory door.
“When you go to a festival and go in the bogs, you think, does your bathroom at home look like this? How can you break a bathroom door?”
‘Destination site’
At the front of the queue for the pub were Lauren Hanly and Blake Jones, who had travelled from Gloucester.
Ms Hanly said they wanted to sample the food having previously visited Clarkson’s other businesses, the Diddly Squat farm shop and Hawkstone Brewery, which features in his Amazon series Clarkson’s Farm.
“We got here just before 8am. We were surprised to be at the front. We thought it would be busier earlier but then the gates weren’t opening until 7.30am,” she said.
“Having Jeremy Clarkson’s name on it, it is always going to do well. It is a destination site and people will come from all over, as well as the local community.”
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Mr Clarkson says he is happy with his choice of location.
He said: “We looked at 40 pubs. We needed some very special things like a big car park, a big car park and lots of parking, and no little roads to get to it.
“There’s no-one to annoy. It’s a good spot.”
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He does have doubts as to whether his new venture, which only serve British produce, will be profitable though.
He said: “I’m not very good at business plans and I haven’t done one.
“I do know this. If I take one of our pigs and we slaughter it and butcher it and we turn it into sausages and we sell it here, it costs us 74p.
“If I buy imported pig meat it is 18p. So, something is wrong with the food system in this country.”
Mr Clarkson has said he plans to sell his own Hawkstone lager as well as produce reared on his nearby farm at the pub.
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The TV star has faced pushback over the years from locals in West Oxfordshire when he has tried to expand his Diddly Squat farm project.
Some residents also expressed concerns about traffic problems because the pub is located next to the busy A40 road.
But Oxfordshire County Council said it had worked “closely and pro-actively” with Clarkson’s team ahead of the opening.
“Several measures have been taken to reduce the likelihood of traffic and parking-related problems, and to support the safe and successful opening of the site,” a council spokesman said.
Mr Clarkson even posted on social media to thank the authority for its help.
Motorists are being asked to only use designated off-highway car parks and not park on the roads or verges nearby.
