Jeremy Clarkson admitted it was “dream” to finally be handed the keys to his very own pub this past weekend, despite advice from those around him urging him against the idea.
The former Top Gear star has bought The Windmill near the Oxfordshire village of Burford, provisionally naming it the Clarkson’s Arms.
Announcing the purchase in his Sunday Times column, Clarkson admitted he couldn’t buy his local drinking establishment in Chadlington as the “locals would set fire to me if I did that” but wasn’t deterred in his search.
“I just needed the pub where all this could happen, and then, after I’d looked at about 14,000, I found just the place. Old, Cotswoldy and sitting in five acres of its own land,” Clarkson penned.
The Grand Tour star, with the help of the local council, then shut down a nearby dogging site but the five-acre site is still littered with problems according to Clarkson.
“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,” he revealed.
Jeremy Clarkson admitted the pub he’s bought will need a lot of work
GETTY
Work on the pub cannot begin right away either due to the fact the venue is set to host a wedding in the near future.
So with so much to do and anticipation levels for the grand opening sky-high, Clarkson took to Instagram to encourage fans not to expect the doors to be open any time soon.
On the Diddly Squat page, Clarkson shared a snap of the Sunday Times and his column before explaining in the accompanying caption: “In case you missed it.
“I’ve bought a pub, even though everyone advised against it. It’s about 20 mins away from the shop, with staggering views.”
Hinting at a lengthy wait before he can welcome patrons, Clarkson updated fans: “We have much work to do, so will let you know when we can open.”
This echoes what he’d stated in the announcement column where he hinted at a 2025 opening by writing: “It’s entirely possible that I won’t get the place mended and open until the icy hand of winter has descended.”
While several of the comments in response to the news were that of excitement, there was a familiar demand frequenting several Instagram users’ reactions.
“Clarksons pub needs its own series,” one demanded, proposing Amazon green-light a spin-off to its record-breaking farming series.
A second echoed: “Fantastic project …. Looking forward to updates !! And can we have a Clarksons Pub series?”
“New series… ‘Clarkson’s Pub’?” another questioned while others simply inundated the post with their excitable reactions.
One person added: “Great idea! Hopefully you’ll be able to showcase your amazing produce and that of your neighbouring farmers #backbritishfarming.”
A second weighed in: “Such a great pub! We are happy there is new ownership as there were definitely things that we thought could improve, but we keep coming back for the views, the space, and the vibe.”
And a third simply encouraged: “Onwards and upwards jeremy good luck.” (sic)
Fans will undoubtedly be able to catch the trials and tribulations that come with running a new pub when Clarkson’s Farm returns for its fourth season.
