Jeremy Clarkson fears a repeat of bitter planning disputes as winter approaches at his Farmer’s Dog pub.
Writing in The Times, the Clarkson’s Farm star raised concerns about delays over improvements to an overflow parking field.
He wants a firmer surface for customers using the Farmer’s Dog pub‘s additional parking space. In his column, he claimed “the planning system in this country is broken”.
Jeremy Clarkson’s pub car park concern ahead of winter
Permission to use the overflow field runs until December 31, 2029. It provides extra parking when the pub’s main car park fills up.
But permission to use the land has not ended Jeremy’s frustrations. His latest concern involves getting the field ready for wetter weather.
He explained that he had been offered a large quantity of hardcore during the summer. The construction material could provide a firm surface for vehicles.
There were two reasons he wanted to move quickly. The offer was time-limited, and he hoped to finish before winter rain left the field muddy.
However, Jeremy said he had received no response about the proposed improvements so far.
He wrote: “We’ve rung. We’ve begged. We’ve pleaded. We’ve explained that if we don’t do the work now we will lose the hardcore and, all winter, our customers will be dragging tons of mud onto the roads. And all we get back is silence.”
Jeremy Clarkson recalls earlier restaurant dispute
Jeremy’s warning drew on an earlier disagreement with West Oxfordshire’s planning department over converting a barn into a restaurant.
He said the department initially refused that proposal four years ago, recalling the strain of the resulting dispute.
He wrote: “Bitter disputes broke out in my village. The c-word was bandied about. Huge sums of money were spent. Everyone had nervous breakdowns. And now, I fear, it’s going to kick off all over again.”
He recalled having to establish the views of police, other organisations and members of the public during that process.
Jeremy argued that the consultation system gave too many people the power to hold up projects.
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He insisted: “We cannot allow the current system to go on. We cannot allow so many ill-informed people to have the ability to stop projects.”
He also suggested that AI could help speed up planning decisions.
Earlier this month, Jeremy discussed the possibility of opening another pub outside the UK at the Conservative Party Conference.
However, he made clear that a second venue remained a hypothetical idea, rather than a business he was actively pursuing.
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