Jeremy Clarkson battles 'dead rats' as he prepares to launch new business venture in Cotswolds

Jeremy Clarkson

Clarkson is facing 'dead rats' in his new pub venture

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Olivia Gantzer

By Olivia Gantzer


Published: 01/07/2024

- 18:03

Updated: 01/07/2024

- 22:48

The Clarson's Farm star is hoping to open a pub in Oxfordshire

Jeremy Clarkson has admitted he's had to deal with a very off-putting issue in his new business venture.

It was revealed over the weekend the Clarkson's Farm star has turned his attention to opening a pub after his Diddly Squat restaurant plans fell through.


The former Top Gear host has purchased a boozer in the Cotswolds which he hopes to open to sell "British food".

It was reported the 64-year-old paid "less than a million" for a country pub called The Windmill in Burford, Oxfordshire.

Writing for The Sunday Times, Clarkson stated: "I just needed the pub where this could all happen. And then, after I’d looked [at] about 14,000, I found just the place."

Revamping and opening such a business isn't all smooth-sailing though, and he went on to admit he's had to deal with dead rodents, among other hurdles.

Jeremy Clarkson

Clarkson's proposals to open a restaurant were denied in 2021

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He delved into some of the issues in the column, in which he explained: "There is some work to be done on the pub itself.

"For example, the cellar is too small, the gable end is falling down, the outside decking area is dangerous, the water is unfit for human consumption, the loft is full of dead rats and the lavatories are illegal."

It seems the broadcaster isn't perturbed by having to get his hands dirty though, especially since his plans to open a restaurant on his farm had to be scrapped after a battle with the council.

Unfortunately for the presenter, his application to open the business was denied in 2021. The Daily Mail reports Clarkson hopes for pub to serve food made with "British ingredients" and wants to include bar games and a ban on noisy TVs.

Jeremy Clarkson

The broadcaster is hoping to sell food made from 'all British ingredients' at his new pub

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The TV personality launched a huge hit on Amazon Prime when the first series of Clarkson's Farm debuted in 2021, and two more successful series have since hit the streaming platform.

The show is set to go ahead with series four soon, with the team having filmed the episodes earlier this year. Clarkson has admitted he "knows" when he'll end Clarkson's Farm, with viewers excited for more updates on Diddly Squat.

While the last series of his second Prime show, The Grand Tour, wrapped up earlier this year, Clarkson still has his fingers in many pies.

As well as Clarkson's Farm filming and the running of his Oxfordshire farm, it's now been reported the journalist will be filming another series of who Wants to be a Millionaire?

Jeremy Clarkson

Clarkson is facing some hurdles sorting the pub

Getty

The future of the show has been up in the air since December 2022 when Clarkson caused outrage by writing in his column for The Sun that he dreamt of the day that Markle was "made to parade through the streets of every town" whilst the crowds chanted "shame".

In response, ITV director Kevin Lygo distanced himself from the broadcaster and described his comments as "awful", which cast doubt on whether Clarkson would continue to front the show.

Now, 18 months on from the scandal, ITV is believed to have been given the green light for a new series which will comprise a mix of regular episodes and celebrity specials.

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