Jeremy Clarkson's farm shop has been branded both a 'menace' and a 'success for local people' during a planning meeting in Oxfordshire. Villagers clashed over the impact of the business on the countryside, as the former Top Gear presenter appeals against council enforcement actions.
The hearing, held on Tuesday, relates to Clarkson's appeal against West Oxfordshire District Council's refusal to grant planning permission for a car park extension at his farm shop. He is also challenging the council's order to shut down his restaurant, which opened last July without planning permission.
Local resident Hilary Moore criticised visitors, claiming they 'show off their cars' and block roads. 'They are motorheads, they are not here to support our little farm shop,' she said. However, florist Joanna Cecil defended the farm, stating Clarkson 'invests in local people' and is 'making a success of it for local people, for our children, and for our future.'
The council's enforcement notice argues the restaurant's 'nature, scale and siting' are incompatible with its location in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It has ordered the removal of dining tables, chairs, parasols, picnic tables, and mobile toilets. Clarkson's agents claim they are not in breach of planning laws, asserting existing permission covers restaurant use.
The council's lawyers contend that the 'level of use of the site' has 'significantly increased' due to the restaurant, going beyond the farm shop's permitted use. A final decision on the plans is expected in the coming weeks. The council has also reported death threats sent to a councillor and a member of the public who opposed the plans, leading to extra security at the hearing.
