Jeremy Clarkson has hinted at plans to open a second pub, but has confirmed it will not be located in the UK. The former Top Gear host made the remarks during an interview at the Conservative party conference in Birmingham.
Clarkson's Current Pub Venture
Clarkson reportedly spent "less than £1 million" on The Windmill, a property set within five acres of countryside near Burford in Oxfordshire. Rebranded and relaunched in 2004 as The Farmer's Dog, the establishment has drawn visitors from across the nation, offering classic pub fare made from fresh British ingredients and the well-known Hawkstone beer.
Comments at the Conference
The 66-year-old took to the stage at the Conservative party's annual gathering, where he stated farmers were being "attacked" from all directions by increasing costs, Labour tax policies, and international conflict. He appeared alongside land agent Charlie Ireland, who also features on Clarkson's Farm, during a session chaired by the party's shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins.
During the discussion, Clarkson characterised farming in the UK as 'relentless'. He said: "It's terrible, is the only way of describing it. We worked really hard all year and we ended up with, I think I'm right in saying, three ounces of hen food. It was an absolute disaster on the farming side but, I mean, luckily we've got other projects going on now. But the farming is very, very difficult – very, very difficult at the moment."
He added: "I'm very fortunate that I do have other income streams and newspaper columns, but if you're an ordinary farmer, it's not just the weather. Remember, it's as Charlie was saying, the attacks come from everywhere – whether it's Iran or Ukraine or taxes or energy costs – whatever it might be, it's just relentless."
Plans for a Second Pub
Victoria Atkins questioned Clarkson on stage about whether he would consider opening a pub in her constituency of Louth and Horncastle, in Lincolnshire. He responded: "It's funny you should say that. I'm looking quite hard into the possibility of opening another pub. But I can give you all a piece of information right now, it's not going to be in the UK."
While Clarkson confirmed he has no intentions of leaving the UK, he questioned: "Why would anybody set up a business in this country right now?". He went on to say: "You go and find a country where you go, 'that's a good one, that will employ people and that will be good for farming and what have you'. We'll see if we can do it abroad somewhere." Before conceding: "I probably won't. But I'm dreaming of it."
