TV star Jeremy Clarkson believes running a pub in the current economic climate will be tough as hundreds of people queued for hours to get inside his new business venture on its opening day.
The pub in Asthall, near Burford in Oxfordshire, re-opened to the public at midday after being renamed The Farmer’s Dog.
Around 300 people had formed an orderly queue snaking around the car park and large beer garden to wait for the doors to be opened.
On the stroke of midday, the former Top Gear presenter appeared and announced to loud cheers from the crowd: “We’re open.”
And holding up his phone to show the time, Clarkson: “We’re also not late. Welcome everybody.”
He was accompanied by his Irish girlfriend Lisa Hogan and fellow stars from his hit Amazon show – Clarkson’s Farm – Kaleb Cooper, Charlie Ireland and Gerald Cooper.
As people filed into the former Windmill pub, Clarkson said selling British-only produce was expensive and “doubted” it would turn a profit.
“I’m not very good at business plans and I haven’t done one,” he told reporters.
“I do know this. If I take one of our pigs and we slaughter it and butcher it and we turn it into sausages and we sell it here, it costs us 74p.
“If I buy imported pig meat, it is 18p. So, something is wrong with the food system in this country.”
Clarkson described the impact of his new pub on British farming as a “tiny pin prick”, but added: “If everyone does it, if all the farmers get together and buy a pub – as you can get a pub for chicken feed these days – it might work.
“If this works, it is a co-operative of farmers we have formed, it might work, it might not, I’m the trailblazer.
“At least Amazon pay me to find out…”
The former Top Gear presenter said the predicted traffic issues from the busy adjacent A40 had not arisen after working closely with Oxfordshire County Council.
“We looked at 40 pubs. We needed some very special things like a big car park, a big car park and lots of parking, and no little roads to get to it,” he said.
“There’s no villagers to piss off here. There’s no-one to annoy. It’s a good spot.
“The main thing everyone has been saying is that we will cause traffic chaos.
“We’ve worked so hard to make sure we can park as many cars as we need to. The traffic is flowing brilliantly.
“The council have learned their lessons and they have been really helpful.”
At the front of the queue were Lauren Hanly and Blake Jones, who had travelled from Gloucester and had arrived shortly before 8am.
Ms Hanly said they wanted to sample the food having previously visited Clarkson’s other businesses, the Diddly Squat farm shop and Hawkstone Brewery.
“We got here just before 8am. We were surprised to be at the front. We thought it would be busier, earlier but then the gates weren’t opening until 7.30am,” she said.
“Having Jeremy Clarkson’s name on it, it is always going to do well. It is a destination site and people will come from all over, as well as the local community.”
Mr Jones added: “We did think about queuing overnight. We left about 7.30am and there was no queues or traffic and we went straight in.”
Within the grounds of the five-acre site a large marquee has been erected, and there is also an outdoor bar and food area – and shop selling produce.
County and district councillor Liam Walker said Clarkson had his full support for the new venture as it would be a boost to the local economy and tourism in West Oxfordshire.
“Jeremy has my full support with his next venture, and I want the pub to be a success,” he said.
Oxfordshire County Council said it has worked “closely and pro-actively” with Mr Clarkson’s team ahead of the opening.
“Several measures have been taken to reduce the likelihood of traffic and parking related problems, and to support the safe and successful opening of the site,” a council spokesman said.
“Footway improvements have been made to better link the existing adjacent bus stops on the B4047 with the site of the pub to provide a safe and more sustainable option for those visitors that are able to take advantage of the hourly bus service, but whom might otherwise have travelled by car.”
The council said motorists were being asked to only use designated off-highway car parks and not park on the roads or verges nearby.
Clarkson has previously found himself embroiled in a row over his plans to allow greater visitor access to his farm and its attached shop.
The popularity of his Amazon show, which documents the workings of his Diddly Squat farm, a 1,000-acre operation in the Cotswolds, sparked interest from tourists in seeking out the broadcaster’s produce, with queues for the shop reportedly a regular occurrence.
