Traders Walk Out: What Went Wrong at Jeremy Clarkson’s Farming Festival

Traders at the festival took to social media to complain of lost profits over bank holiday weekend at Diddly Squat farm.

Jeremy Clarkson’s Farm-Fest has been branded a “shambles” after traders left early, claiming they were not making any money.

The three-day festival at Clarkson’s 300-acre Diddly Squat farm at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire was earmarked to be attended by 55,000 people over the bank holiday weekend.

Traders at the festival were promised big profits and even bigger footfall, but were disappointed to find neither to be true.

Social media star Ben Newman, better known as Spud Man, was one of many traders who took to social media to complain about the festival.

He told his more than 600,000 followers on Instagram that while he may make a small profit, other traders were struggling.

Korrine Pallas, owner of pet product firm Phoenix Equestrian and Pet Supplies, said Friday was “the worst day’s trading we have ever had.”

She explained in a TikTok video that “it has been darn right awful at Farm-Fest.”

Ms Pallas added: “When I say it’s not worth getting out of bed for, it’s an understatement. It has been horrific, and I know everyone else is feeling the same and is in the same boat as us.”

She later left the trade show early – an unprecedented move for the pet product company.

Plenty of other traders also complained of making losses at the festival.

Emma, who co-founded pet brand Pops and Coco, said on TikTok that the event was a “shambles” and estimated that 90% of traders had “either made a loss”, “haven’t made their costs back” or are “only just making some money now.”

Another trader, saddle fitter Julie Masters, said that her stall had been blocked by a huge lorry, forcing her to close up shop and leave Farm-Fest.

She added that the company is “thousands of pounds out of pocket” and they were not being given a refund, despite asking for the lorry to be moved.

A spokesman for Jeremy Clarkson’s Great British Farm-Fest told the Mail: “We have been working closely with traders at The Great British Farm-Fest to provide support during our inaugural weekend.

“We are surprised that a handful of exhibitors, out of the 400 who attended, left the show within a few hours of the first day without experiencing an event that has attracted over 50,000 visitors.”

Farm-Fest has 12 arenas across the three days with Jeremy Clarkson and Kaleb Cooper both making appearances.

Adult tickets cost £35 for a half-day admission, while a full day cost £60.

Alex James from Blur, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and Groove Armada were all scheduled to take to the stage at the country fair.

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