Jeremy Clarkson’s dream of working a comfortable Cotswolds pub has taken a knock after livid punters branded the venue a “soulless disappointment” – slamming every thing from the meals to the ambiance. The Farmer’s Canine in Asthall, Oxfordshire, was snapped up by the previous Prime Gear star for round £1million and reopened final August following an in depth makeover. The acquisition, renovation, and grand opening have been all captured on digicam for the fourth collection of Clarkson’s Farm, launched on Prime Video earlier this yr.
Clarkson, 64, threw himself behind the bar to welcome prospects, however whereas many followers have been delighted, some have taken to TripAdvisor to vent their frustration. One self-confessed Clarkson supporter admitted to making a particular detour simply to go to the eatery however mentioned the expertise left them bitterly disenchanted. The reviewer wrote: “Made a detour right here to have a beer (after driving within the superb Cotswolds for a few days). We have been SO disenchanted!
“I’m a JC fan and have learn his phrases for a few years, watched all of the exhibits and been impressed with the event of the ‘pub’.
“Love the concept and the precept, however the general expertise was fairly dire. Soulless, very busy (on a poor-weather Thursday afternoon), queues for every thing, devoid of any character, already trying a bit worn in locations (inevitably given the footfall), costly.”
One other buyer didn’t maintain again when it got here to the meals, writing: “The meals may be very unfastened. Onerous lamb. A lot of spice. Beer’s high quality, however you discover that in any pub. All made in GB, however they cook dinner very badly.”
However the criticism didn’t finish there. A separate customer branded their journey “a really disappointing expertise” and vowed by no means to return.
One scathing overview claimed: “The meals was clearly plated up forward of time because it arrived in lower than 5 minutes of ordering and regarded like a college dinner.”
It’s a far cry from the nice and cozy village hub Clarkson mentioned he needed to create. The Farmer’s Canine, previously generally known as The Windmill, was touted as a spot for locals and vacationers alike to take pleasure in correct British fare, with an emphasis on domestically sourced components.
The blended opinions spotlight the problem dealing with Clarkson as he swaps the racetrack and farmyard for pulling pints. Whereas his enterprise has drawn crowds of curious followers eager to say they’ve shared a drink on the TV star’s bar, others clearly really feel the pub isn’t dwelling as much as the hype.
Season 4 of Clarkson’s Farm coated the pub’s chaotic build-up, with fixed allow points and staffing exits. His formidable farm-to-fork strategy was additionally proving to be problematic, as his rule of solely utilizing British produce and British drinks meant that issues like Heinz Ketchup, Coca-Cola and black pepper weren’t on the menu.
Given how troublesome it’s to run a pub, Clarkson advised The Occasions earlier this yr that he refuses to begin ‘one other enterprise so long as I stay’.
