Concerns have been raised over parking capacity and pedestrian safety at The Farmer’s Dog, the Cotswolds pub owned by Jeremy Clarkson, as operators seek planning permission to create an overflow car park to cope with sustained visitor numbers.
The proposal follows earlier scrutiny from planners over parking provision at the site, which sits on the A40 at Asthall, near Burford. The pub opened in the summer of 2024 after Mr Clarkson bought the former Windmill pub for a reported £1m, and has attracted heavy footfall since featuring prominently in the latest series of Clarkson’s Farm.
Planning documents submitted to West Oxfordshire District Council ask for permission to use a neighbouring field as an overflow parking area during busy periods, with the stated aim of preventing informal roadside parking and easing congestion around the venue.
‘Serious concerns’
Some local residents say current arrangements are already creating risks on surrounding rural roads. Mark Leslie, a resident of nearby Widford, said he had “serious concerns” about what he described as “significant highway safety issues” linked to visitor traffic.
“Vehicles often queue in both directions on the B4047 while waiting to turn into the field,” he said. “This is a fast rural road with limited visibility, and the newly created access point is on a blind, inclined bend. Queues and turning vehicles lead to sudden braking, overtaking and congestion.”
He also raised concerns about pedestrian safety, saying visitors regularly walk between the parking area and the pub across both the B4047 and a narrow country lane. “There are no proper pavements or controlled crossing points,” he said. “That creates an obvious risk, particularly at peak times.”
Similar points were made by Rosie Pearson, owner of Asthall Manor, who questioned whether demand would ease in the near future. She said there was “no reason to think that the high visitor numbers will drop any time soon” and added that traffic marshals have acknowledged that pedestrians are “often not co-operative” when attempts are made to manage their movements safely.
Local support
Other residents, however, have backed the proposal. Swinbrook resident Lorretta Newton said the overflow car park was effectively unavoidable given the popularity of the pub. “There is no real alternative,” she said, adding that staff on site “try their best to make sure we are not held up” during busy periods.
In a statement submitted with the application, planning agents acting for Mr Clarkson said the proposals were designed to improve safety rather than increase disruption. They said the aim was to “ensure that visitors of The Farmer’s Dog can safely access the site, while preventing errant parking on the B4047 and surrounding lanes”.
The council will now assess the application, considering highway safety, pedestrian access and the impact on nearby residents, before reaching a decision in due course.
