Jeremy Clarkson wins planning battle over his pub
Clarkson's Farm star Jeremy Clarkson has won a planning battle over his pub The Farmer's Dog after waiting more than a year for a decision over whether he would be allowed to improve the parking facilities there.
Jeremy Clarkson has won a planning battle over his pub The Farmer's Dog after waiting more than a year for a decision.
The Clarkson's Farm star applied for permission to lay hard surfacing in both car parks at the venue in Burford, Oxfordshire and he's finally been given the go ahead by officials at West Oxfordshire District Council, according to the Oxford Mail.
The publication reports the decision was made this month and took more than a year.
According to the Oxford Mail, West Oxfordshire planning officer Kelly Murray said in the decision that The Farmer's Dog had caused problems for the village of Asthall because it attracted an "unusual" level of traffic, saying: "The number of visitors to the site is reportedly causing congestion along the A40 and also within the village of Asthall itself.
"Given, however the established lawful use of the venue as a pub and restaurant, it is not within the scope of the local planning authority's planning powers to prevent impacts arising from the unusual level of public interest specific to this establishment.
"It is clear to officers that safe and easily accessible parking must be available off-road in order to discourage the public from parking on the side of the A40, or on the road leading to Asthall - which it seems probable they would otherwise do."
"It is likely that both of these alternative scenarios would jeopardise pedestrian safety, cause traffic obstruction, further congestion and would be likely to damage highway verges to the detriment of the unspoiled rural character of the area."
Murray went on to reference the parking situation at Clarkson's other business - his Diddly Squat Farm shop - as an example of how proper parking is required to avoid causing chaos.
She added: "Such a situation has arisen at Diddly Squat Farm which attracts a similarly high number of visitors -whose impact has transformed the roadside verges - and this illustrates the type and level of adverse impacts which are demonstrated as arising from inadequate public parking provision."
The decision concluded by adding: "[The] public interest in granting permission outweighs any slight harm caused [by the expansion of the pub]."
The Cotswolds pub - which formerly traded as The Windmill - was bought by Clarkson in the summer of 2024 and his rush to open the doors was featured in his hit Amazon Prime show Clarkson's Farm.
