Jeremy Clarkson has warned that Diddly Squat Farm and the Farmer's Dog pub could be at risk as he waits for West Oxfordshire council to respond to his request to lay gravel in the pub's car park before winter. The dispute could affect nearly 300 jobs across his businesses.
Car Park Gravel Request Stalls
In his Sunday Times column, Clarkson said he had been offered a substantial amount of hardcore material to lay as gravel for the Farmer's Dog car park, which would prevent the ground from turning into a muddy mess during the winter. He is still waiting for a response from the council after requesting approval.
"So I'm sitting here today, with the rain falling, and we can't get permission. We've rung. We've begged. We've pleaded," Clarkson wrote. "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."
Jobs Uncertainty for Staff
Clarkson noted that nearly 300 people are employed by his various enterprises and all of them want to know if their jobs are secure. "And all we can ever tell them is: 'We don't know,'" he said.
He added: "There's no doubt that the planning system in this country is broken, and I suspect it's because far too many people are invited to have an opinion on each application."
Planning Approval Process Criticised
Clarkson said he had to seek approval from the police, the Environment Agency, Historic England, Natural England, the parish council, the local water company, the highways department and the county council when planning to open the Farmer's Dog. He concluded: "We cannot allow the current system to go on. We cannot allow so many ill-informed people to have the ability to stop projects."
