Huge win for Jeremy Clarkson as he triumphs over local council – and it’s good news for fans of his Farmer’s Dog pub

Jeremy Clarkson has reportedly won permission to extend the car park at his pub the Farmer’s Dog, making space for even more punters.

The Clarkson’s Farm star has long been keen to expand the parking facilities at the Cotswolds venue – which was featured in his Prime Video show.

It has been drawing huge crowds since it opened its doors 2024, and now, it appears he will be able to welcome even more thanks to the extra space to accommodate the pub-goers.

The former Top Gear host will rent a nearby field where visitors can park, applying to the West Oxfordshire District Council for retrospective planning permission for the change of use, according to The Sun.

The publication reported how the council have granted Jeremy, 65, permission to use the field as an over-flow car park until December 31, 2029.

According to The Sun, Clarkson’s team stated in the application: ‘The Farmer’s Dog started trading just over a year ago and has proven to be very popular.

‘There is parking on site, but in order to deal with the level of demand alternative arrangements were made to ensure the safe movement of vehicles and people to and from the site.’

Previously, Jeremy revealed that the pub was still struggling to make a profit despite the huge number of visitors flocking to the location.

In a column for The Times newspaper in December 2024, Clarkson admitted punters taking beer glasses home with them was hurting the pub’s finances.

He wrote: ‘The theft, for example, is extraordinary. People seem to have it in their heads that if they come in for a pint they are entitled to go home with the glass in which it was served.

‘Last Sunday 104 went missing. And that cost must be added to the £100 a day we spend on fuel for the generator, the £400 a week it costs to provide warmth on the terrace and the £27,000 a month we must spend on parking and traffic marshals to keep the council off our back.

‘The customers are coming. There’s no problem there. But turning their visits into a profit is nigh-on impossible.’

It comes after Jeremy left fans gutted following a major closure at Diddly Squat Farm – after a seven-month lockdown amid a TB outbreak came to an end.

The presenter and journalist won a legion of new fans through the popularity of his Prime Video series Clarkson’s Farm, which first launched in 2021.

Viewers watch as Jeremy runs Diddly Squat Farm in the Cotswolds – which also boasts a farm shop among its offerings that viewers can visit to buy goods from Jeremy and other local farmers.

Taking to Instagram, the shop’s social media page shared an unfortunate update to upcoming customers.

The caption read: ‘We’ll be making a few changes to the shop over the next of week, so our usual farm shop will be closed from Monday 16th to Tuesday 24th March.

‘We know some of you may already have plans to visit, so we’ll have a temporary shop set up in the lambing barn (just around the back of the usual shop) during that time.

‘It won’t quite be the full Diddly experience but you’ll still be able to pick up a few bits while you’re here.

‘If you’re planning a trip and want the shop as you know it, we’d recommend visiting from the 25th March onwards.’

One follower posted a GIF of Jeremy with the words ‘absurd times’.

Another added: ‘We were visiting the Cotswolds from 20th to 23rd, never mind.. another time. Good luck.’

A third wrote: ‘Good luck guys with the refresh. See you in April.’

However, others continued to share their excitement as one remarked: ‘I’ll be coming down in May! So so excited.’

It comes as Jeremy shared a ‘disastrous’ update from the farm after seven months of lockdown battling a TB outbreak.

The petrol head and former Grand Tour host confirmed last summer that his farm was facing issues with a TB outbreak and admitted that he was ‘absolutely devastated’.

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a chronic, infectious disease that primarily affects cattle. It is highly problematic for farmers because it causes slow, progressive wasting in animals, leads to mandatory culling, and results in significant financial losses.

Now, he has given an update on the farm in his column for The Sun, confirming that his Oxfordshire farm is now free of TB for the first time in seven months.

He wrote: ‘After seven months of lockdown, Diddly Squat farm became officially TB-free this week.’

But despite the good news on the TB front, Jeremy went on to confirm another shocking blow.

He continued: ‘But before we had a chance to celebrate, we found out that one of our donkeys has laminitis and must be put down.

‘In farming, it seems you are allowed one bit of good news, but it must always be accompanied by some kind of disaster.’

This came after Jeremy’s fans were left quizzing the TV presenter turned farmer as he introduced his followers to a new arrival at his Diddly Squat farm.

He took to Instagram earlier this month to share a snap of a new family member, Ben, a donkey, telling fans to ‘welcome him to Diddly Squat’.

While many fans of Jeremy were quick to congratulate the star on his arrival and praise the ‘lovely’ and ‘dashing’ looking Donkey, others were quick to hit back.

One penned under the image on Instagram, worried for Ben’s welfare: ‘He is gorgeous but he needs a friend though. They don’t like to be alone…’

Another chimed in: ‘I hope you have another donkey for Ben, donkeys shouldn’t live on their own and other livestock aren’t suitable companions.’

‘This is true,’ a third person agreed, as a fourth wrote to Jeremy: ‘Does he have a donkey friend to live with? Very important!’