Jeremy Clarkson reveals plans after spending ‘less than £1,000,000’ on new business
![](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/SEI_194244486-0e30.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024)
Clarkson has set his sights on a new venture (Picture: Qian Jun/MB Media/Getty Images)
Former Top Gear host turned farmer Jeremy Clarkson has confirmed his plans to start a new business, which he revealed cost him ‘less than £1million’.
The presenter and writer, 62, was forced to close his restaurant at Diddly Squat Farm following a battle with the local council, who denied his application to open a restaurant there in late 2021.
Clarkson appeared to find a loophole in the law that allowed him to open a ‘pizza cafe’ in 2022, but he was issued an enforcement order shortly after.
The council claimed that the disruption caused by parking, traffic and toilets would be ‘visually intrusive’ to the surrounding Cotswolds area.
Meanwhile, residents complained about the heavy disruption caused by fans flocking to see the site made famous by his Amazon Prime TV series Clarkson’s Farm.
Clarkson duly shut down the restaurant, but his light won’t be dimmed – announcing plans to open his own pub.
Jeremy Clarkson is opening his own pub (Picture: Amazon Video)
Clarkson has purchased his own pub to sell his own beer in (Picture: Hawkstone)
The presenter reportedly paid ‘less than a million’ for a grand country establishment named ‘The Windmill’ in Burford, Oxfordshire – announced as ‘under new ownership’ on June 4.
As he wrote in The Sunday Times, the historic pub will include British pub grub such as gammon, egg and chips.
Revealing the negotiations that went down regarding the price of the establishment, Clarkson shared: ‘There are two ways the price negotiations go as well. They say they want a million. You offer them £17.50, and they either say “yes”, or they say “er, let me think, yes”.’
In the end, he paid ‘less than £1m’ for The Windmill venue, he confirmed to the publication.
While bar games are on the menu, noisy TVs, fruit machines and the kind of bathroom signs that might offend Clarkson fans’ delicate sensibilities will not be allowed.
The Windmill is to be renovated as a Clarkson venture (Picture: Facebook)
The remote country pub should prove popular with fans of Clarkson and his fans (Picture: Facebook)
Following a few false starts – Brexit-related staffing issues, ‘a loft full of dead rats’ and ‘illegal’ toilets – The Grand Tour host is almost ready for his grand opening.
With a wedding reception apparently booked in for ‘a couple of weeks’ time,’ the star hopes to stock the taps with his own beer – the Hawkstone lager brand he part owns and provides the hops for.
‘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,’ he wrote.
Clarkson’s presence on Diddly Squat farm has annoyed locals (Picture: SWNS)
Bad news for local ‘dogging’ enthusiasts, though – as the opening of his new venture meant closing down the nearby site where the activity had been known to take place.
‘I went to see West Oxfordshire district council, expecting no help at all, and blow me down, it was very happy to close the dogging site. So I was in business,’ he explained.
However, friends are more sceptical about the pub’s success. ‘As one friend put it, “Owning a pub is more daft than owning a farm. What next, you buying a cinema?”,’ Clarkson revealed.
Clarkson has found a new lease on life as the host of Clarkson’s Farm (Picture: Prime Video)
The TV personality has found all-new popularity since the launch of his hugely successful Amazon Prime series, which is soon to air its fourth series.
The humorous reality TV series sees Clarkson as he attempts to run his country farm in the Cotswolds, assisted by farm worker Kaleb Cooper and his girlfriend, Lisa Hogan.
Fans of the show can see Clarkson’s Farm at work in Chipping Norton, where it attracts visitors from around the globe – to the frequent chagrin of local people and councilmen alike.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
MORE : Jeremy Clarkson struck with bleak news ahead of Clarkson’s Farm season 4
MORE : Clarkson's Farm confirms star is cancer-free as fans hail him a 'national treasure'
MORE : Jeremy Clarkson speaks out after 'sickening' video of police 'running over cow'