James May, 62, issues warning to Jeremy Clarkson, 65, over Clarkson’s Farm pub purchase after own ordeal
James May was on hand to deliver some words of warning to Top Gear and The Grand Tour co-star Jeremy Clarkson in the newly released fourth season of Clarkson’s Farm.
The 62-year-old owns a stake in his very own pub, The Royal Oak pub in Swallowcliffe, Wiltshire, and as a result, he was the ideal candidate for Clarkson to call upon for business advice.
Season four of the hit show predominantly centred on Clarkson’s decision to buy his own pub in the Cotswolds in order to sell his Diddly Squat Farm produce.
Over the course of the series, Clarkson’s Farm fans have seen how Clarkson, 65, had his interest piqued by a pub called The Windmill near Burford, Oxfordshire – although the purchase wasn’t without its hiccups.
In typical Clarkson fashion, he was faced with numerous obstacles and red tape, not least the fact that the site has been used for “dogging”.
In the fifth episode of the new series, Clarkson turned to May and other celebrity pub-owner pals to hopefully have his fears allayed, but their words of warning didn’t exactly strike a joyous chord.
Speaking to May over video chat, Clarkson could only listen as his Grand Tour co-host reeled off the problems he’s faced since buying his stake in a pub.
“Erm, energy costs. Staff costs. Ingredient costs. Building maintenance costs. Insurance costs. Accountancy costs,” May reeled off.
And he kept on going: “Er, lawn-keeping costs. Re-thatching costs in my case. Re-gravelling costs. Mending the car park costs. Hiring the staff costs, if I haven’t said that already…”
Clarkson could only listen in exasperation, but it’s safe to say May knows better than most how challenging pub ownership can be.
May invested in The Royal Oak back in 2020, only for the establishment to be shut down soon after due to Covid.
“We bought it just before lockdown, which was a really bad business decision, but a deal is a deal, and we’d already agreed to buy it,” he previously told The Drinks Business.
May also claimed that despite the pub’s popularity, “it still doesn’t really make a profit; it makes enough money to maintain itself.”
And the former Top Gear star wasn’t the only famous face to appear in the Amazon series to try and prepare Clarkson for his business venture.
Piers Morgan told his former foe: “People steal stuff from pubs. Every publican will tell you. They’ll nick the salt-and-pepper pots. They’ll nick knives and forks. They might even nick plates. They’ll nick any art they can rip off the walls.”
Singer James Blunt was also on hand to offer Clarkson some advice: “Obviously, drink driving’s an issue. In the countryside. And that’s why you want it kind of in some central hub somewhere where there are just a mass of people so they can walk home or they can easily get taxis home.”
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Clarkson sheepishly replied: “No, it’s nowhere near any building of any sort. The nearest village is five miles away.”
Blunt sarcastically said: “Right, maybe if you’re lucky they’ll relax the drink-driving laws.
“Then the staffing issue. Staffing is so tricky nowadays because people just don’t wanna work those kinds of hours, it’s hard work.
“Normally, they’re kind of almost overseas labourers, so, again, as long as Brexit doesn’t go through, you’re going to be fine as well,” he added to a deflated Clarkson.
Despite all of the naysaying from his pals, Clarkson wasn’t deterred and went ahead with the purchase of The Windmill.
Now named The Farmer’s Dog, Clarkson opened the pub on the August Bank Holiday weekend last year, with thousands of punters descending on the Oxfordshire establishment.