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Jeremy Clarkson announces pub name
Ahead of its grand opening this Friday, motoring journalist, TV presenter and farmer Jeremy Clarkson has announced what his new pub will be called.
Rumours that Clarkson, who is enjoying a new lease of life in agriculture, as documented in the hit Amazon Prime series Clarkson’s Farm, was planning on buying a pub have circulated for some time.
Although it was widely-reported that he was “in talks” to takeover the Coach and Horses Inn in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, he has actually instead opted for The Windmill in Burford, West Oxfordshire. Apparently, “within minutes” of meeting the landlady he made an offer. It is also just 10 miles away from his Diddly Squat Farm.
Clarkson, a vocal supporter of British farmers, has made it clear that the pub will be focused on celebrating ingredients sourced from the UK, though he took to social media to say that he was “struggling to find black pepper grown here”.
He has been so vehement in his crusade to only serve British produce that he claimed that he would not be offering Coca Cola or coffee – he will even be foregoing offering the Léoube Côtes de Provence rosé that he is such a well-documented fan of, though English wine will be available instead.
It follows his long running, and ultimately unsuccessful campaign to get planning permission from West Oxfordshire District Council for a restaurant at Diddly Squat.
The name game
Today, after much speculation, the name of the ex-Top Gear presenter’s boozer has been announced.
The presenter’s pub will be called: The Farmer’s Dog.
The Instagram account for Hawkstone, Clarkson’s lager brand, shared a mockup of what the pub sign would look like:
View this post on Instagram
Clarkson’s pet fox-red Labradors, Arya and Sansa, feature heavily in his Amazon series.
James May, who also presented Top Gear alongside Clarkson and now hosts The Grand Tour with him, also bought a pub (or at least half of one), but he opted to keep the name, The Royal Oak, as it was.
Good news
The news of Clarkson’s pub has been well received by many in the hospitality industry who believe that, much as his programmes have shed light on the challenges farmers face every year, it may raise awareness of the difficult situation many of these businesses are now in.
Nik Antona, national chairman of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), told the drinks business: “It would be hoped that Clarkson could attract the same level of media attention to the challenges that the pub, brewing and cider making trades are facing, as he has done with the farming industry for his recent ventures.”
Hawkstone beer and cider will feature heavily in the drinks offering, with the pub’s tagline describing it as a “Hawkstone filling station”.
It is also understood that several of those who feature in Clarkson’s Farm, including land agent ‘Cheerful’ Charlie Ireland and builder Alan Townsend, have been involved in getting the pub ready for business.
The Farmer’s Dog is due to open at midday on Friday 23 August.
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Clarkson offered £1m for pub 'within minutes' of meeting landlady