Jeremy Clarkson ‘losing fortune after total disaster’ at Cotswolds pub
Jeremy Clarkson has never been a man to shy away from risk, but his latest business venture in the Cotswolds appears to be testing even his famously bold approach to rural life. The 65-year-old presenter, best known for Top Gear, The Grand Tour, and the award-winning series Clarkson’s Farm, has revealed that his newly renovated pub is proving to be a financial nightmare—despite glowing reviews from customers and even a world-famous chef.
In his new book, Diddly Squat: The Farmer’s Dog, released last month, Clarkson openly admits that his pub in Asthall, Oxfordshire—The Farmer’s Dog—is, in his words, a “total disaster” behind the scenes. The broadcaster purchased the former Windmill pub near Burford for around £1 million in 2023 and reopened it in August 2024 after extensive renovations.
On the surface, the pub has all the hallmarks of a classic rural success story. It boasts a warm fire, a polished menu, a cheerful young staff, and a carefully restored interior that blends rustic charm with Clarkson’s typically tongue-in-cheek personality. Visitors describe the atmosphere as traditional but lively, and reviews since opening have been overwhelmingly positive.
One visitor in particular stood out: a “top chef,” as Clarkson coyly describes him—adding only that his name begins with an M and ends with “arco Pierre White.” According to Clarkson, the celebrated chef was “bowled over” by the quality of the pub’s food.
But despite the praise, the celebrity endorsement, and the enthusiastic crowds, Clarkson says the finances tell a very different story.
“Behind the scenes, everything is a total disaster,” he writes bluntly in his book. “The Cotswolds watering hole is losing me a fortune.”
Clarkson, who has documented nearly every triumph and disaster of his farming life for public consumption, appears equally committed to transparency in his new hospitality venture. He explains that while customers may see a bustling pub with good food and happy staff, the business itself is hemorrhaging money at a pace he did not anticipate.
“It’s warm, there’s a fire, the staff are friendly and young and happy,” he writes. “It’s a proper, traditional pub. By which I mean you’ll love it, and I’ll lose a fortune and develop a skin disease from the stress of running it.”
The source of the financial strain is not detailed, but those familiar with rural hospitality businesses note the rising cost of ingredients, energy bills, alcohol taxes, staff wages, and regulatory requirements. Running a pub in the Cotswolds—one of the UK’s most expensive regions—amplifies all of these challenges.
Clarkson’s decision to enter the pub business came after years of navigating the unpredictable economics of agriculture at Diddly Squat Farm. Fans of Clarkson’s Farm have watched him struggle through planning disputes, supply issues, livestock chaos, crop failures, and endless bureaucracy. Yet the pub, he suggests, may be even more difficult.
The Farmer’s Dog was intended as a complement to his existing farm-to-table ventures, including the Diddly Squat Farm Shop and the Big View Café. Many expected that Clarkson’s enormous fanbase would help ensure its success. And indeed, footfall has been high—but high footfall does not necessarily translate into profit.
Hospitality analysts note that the first year of a pub’s operation is often its most financially precarious, with renovation costs, staff training, and supply contracts creating a significant initial burden. For Clarkson, who admits to despising paperwork and preferring chaos over order, the administrative demands may be just as painful as the financial losses.
Still, the broadcaster remains characteristically defiant. If anything, the adversity appears to deepen the comedic tone of his writing. Clarkson rarely misses an opportunity to turn personal disaster into entertainment, and the pub seems to offer new material in abundance.
Fans of the presenter have responded with predictable enthusiasm, with many expressing their intention to visit precisely because Clarkson admits the place is losing money. “He’s the only man who can declare a venue a financial catastrophe and make people want to go more,” one supporter joked online.
Whether The Farmer’s Dog can turn its fortunes around remains to be seen. But if Clarkson’s track record on the farm is anything to go by, the chaos may only be beginning—and viewers will undoubtedly be eager to follow every misstep, meltdown, and unexpected triumph along the way.