Jeremy Clarkson, 65, shares real reason for pub purchase despite financial woes: ‘I liked the idea!’
Despite facing financial hurdles, Jeremy Clarkson has revealed the real reason behind his decision to buy a pub – and it wasn’t just about turning a profit.
The Clarkson’s Farm star explained that his motivation stemmed from a desire to support local agriculture and revive the concept of a farming co-operative.
“We weren’t allowed to have a restaurant on the site,” Clarkson said, referring to planning restrictions that have plagued previous ventures at Diddly Squat Farm.
“But I still liked the idea of having a farming co-operative where all of the local farmers come together and we would pay proper money for their products, be they, pigs, cows, chickens.”
To make that vision a reality, Clarkson decided to buy a pub – one of the many struggling establishments up for sale across the country.
“I thought the best thing I can do is buy one of the many, many, many pubs which are for sale round here. So I bought a pub which had a restaurant in it, so we could put the farming co-operative back together and then serve only British produce,” he explained.
Clarkson’s commitment to homegrown ingredients goes beyond sourcing local meat.
“I only wanted to serve food and drink that was grown or reared in the UK. We said no coffee, no ketchup, no Coca-Cola,” he said.
Instead, the team sought out British alternatives, even finding tea and black pepper growers in Cornwall.
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“They’re not part of the co-operative as such, but we are supporting British growers and rearers, and that was my goal.”
Before purchasing The Farmer’s Dog, the former Top Gear star was considering several other options to find the perfect location.
His partner, Lisa Hogan, 51, recently admitted one contender was “not charming”.
When asked what her reaction was when her partner explained he wanted to buy a pub, she admitted: “I just kind of sat back and chuckled, there was a lot of chortling!”
She continued: “We looked at many, many, many pubs. All of them charming, apart from the one that Jeremy wanted to buy originally, which was just not charming at all, because there were so many things wrong with it.”
While she didn’t go into details about the pub that was in the running, she noted that The Farmer’s Dog also threw up some problems.
She said: “He was enthusiastic about so many places, but then this place came up, and, you know, it is absolutely perfect visually.”
“But not being on the main sewage, not having electricity and not having sufficient water isn’t ideal,” she added.
Clarkson also admitted last summer that he’d had to deal with a very off-putting issue in the business venture, describing problems with the cellar, the outside decking area and the water quality.
Clarkson’s Farm returns for its fourth season on Friday, May 23, with Clarkson continuing his chaotic efforts to manage Diddly Squat Farm and a pub.