Jeremy Clarkson given huge boost to pub in rare win over council – despite branding business a ‘total disaster’
Jeremy Clarkson has reason to celebrate this week after being given the green light for a new extension at his Oxfordshire pub.
The Farmer’s Dog, which opened its doors to punters in Asthall near Burford in August, has been the subject to several planning applications since Clarkson took over.
The latest proposal to be given the green light comes just weeks after Clarkson branded the new business as a “total disaster” after claiming to underestimate the difficulty in turning a profit.
The venture has been far from plain sailing as Clarkson has complained about the bouts of theft that take place at the pub while he’s also come under fire for refusing punters’ cash on the premises.
Then there’s the cost of selling British-only produce at the pub and its neighbouring farm shop – which has remained open despite Clarkson confirming the temporary closure of his flagship Diddly Squat shop in Chipping Norton.
With so many obstacles, the news from West Oxfordshire District Council to approve a single-storey extension will undoubtedly be a welcome boost to Clarkson, with a planning officers’ report stating: “The proposal is considered to be compliant with the policies identified above in terms of principle, design and in officers’ view conserves the special characteristics of the Cotswolds National Landscape (CNL).
“Accordingly the application is recommended for conditional approval.”
In the covering letter of the application, it said, according to the Oxford Mail: “This application seeks to provide a modest extension to the south of the building, the new internal floor area is less than 25 square metres.
“It allows internal reconfiguration to improve toilet facilities for all and more efficient cellar facilities.
“The extension ensures suitable rear access to the kitchens is retained and an external store is also shown to replace existing temporary facilities.
“It is to be constructed with a horizontal external timber cladding and provides a new pitched roof in reconstituted Cotswold slates to replace the existing bitumen flat roof.”
No comments were submitted in objection or support by members of the public.
Clarkson’s tugs-of-war with local council bodies aren’t a new occurrence for the former Top Gear host.
As documented in his record-breaking Amazon series, Clarkson’s Farm, fans have witnessed firsthand how the 64-year-old has struggled to get his way when it comes to developing new ideas on his farm.
In the very first season of the show, Clarkson campaigned relentlessly to get the doors to his Diddly Squat farm shop – only to be shut after a day over roofing issues.
When those issues were eventually resolved, Amazon viewers got a peek into the rigmarole that went into trying to build a safe car park for Diddly Squat visitors.
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As the series progressed, Clarkson toyed with the idea of opening a restaurant on his premises in a disused lambing barn.
When that idea was shot down, he proceeded to build a restaurant in a derelict barn a stone’s throw from the farm shop – although had to do so at neck-breaking speed to ensure the council didn’t have time to object.
In the upcoming fourth season, Clarkson’s foray into becoming a publican will undoubtedly take centre stage.
And there’s more episodes to come to as Clarkson has already confirmed that a fifth season of the show is on its way.