Jeremy Clarkson has defended Sir Rod Stewart after aerial photographs showed the singer's lush green lawns at his Essex mansion during a drought and hosepipe ban. Clarkson suggested Stewart likely uses a borehole to water his grounds.
Backlash Over Green Lawns
Sir Rod Stewart, 81, and his wife Penny Lancaster, 55, faced criticism after aerial images revealed the verdant grounds of their Grade II-listed mansion on the Hertfordshire and Essex border. The lawns stood out as most gardens across the UK have turned brown due to heatwaves and dry spells.
Overhead images showed the ten-bedroom property with gardens, an artificial football pitch, and a mini golf course with a fairway, two bunkers, and a putting green. The estate is served by Affinity Water, which imposed a hosepipe ban in its central region, including Essex, on July 17.
Clarkson's Defence
Writing in his column for The Sun, Clarkson said: "An aerial photograph of the lush green lawns outside Rod Stewart's sprawling mansion in Essex prompted the nation's bitter people to ask: 'How did you manage that, mate, when there's a hosepipe ban in force?'"
"Well, let's think. Could it be, perhaps, that Rod, here with wife Penny, probably has a borehole? It's not a difficult concept to get your head round. You dig a hole maybe 100 metres down into the ground, put a pump in it and water comes out. Water that's not subjected to any kind of government interference."
Clarkson, who owns The Farmer's Dog pub in West Oxfordshire, said he has done the same there, "which is why the lawns there are also weirdly verdant."
Drought Conditions
Nearly three-quarters of England is experiencing drought conditions. In Essex and Suffolk, only 2mm of rainfall was recorded in July, leading the Environment Agency to declare a drought in the region and introduce temporary usage restrictions.
