Fans have rallied around Jeremy Clarkson after the council imposed a new rule outside his pub in Oxfordshire.
The Top Gear and Grand Tour star purchased The Windmill pub in Asthall, near Burford, two years ago for around £1,000,000.
Having renovated the spot and renamed it The Farmer’s Dog, it was opened to the public in August 2024, proving a popular watering hole ever since.
Now, new speed limits for the roads outside the countryside pub have been approved by the county council following safety concerns.
A section of the B4047 Burford Road outside The Farmer’s Dog and its car park will have a 30mph speed limit, replacing the existing 40mph limit.
Oxfordshire County Council said the lower speed limits would “address potential safety issues” for people crossing the road to get from the car park to the pub, in a report ahead of the decision.
The pub is applying for retrospective planning permission for the overflow car park, which lies south of the B4047.
Fans visiting the pub have had mixed reactions to the news, with some not happy with the change.
On social media, one angry local said: “Another pathetic decision.
“[I’ll be] overtaking if held up. I overtook three cars in Witney itself this morning for going less than 30mph.”
Contrastingly, others are happy with the new speed limits, flagging about the dangers of crossing the road previously.
One pub-goer, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I welcome the change as it is a bit ropey trying to cross the road from the overflow car park to the pub.”
These new speed limits were approved by the cabinet member for transport management, Andrew Gant, at the delegated decisions meeting on Thursday (February 26).
Mr Gant said he wanted to make sure “the tail is not wagging the dog” and that the council was not changing what it would have done if the pub had not applied for permission for the car park.
Roger Plater, council officer responsible for road safety and vision zero, responded: “We are seeing large numbers of people crossing the road there, and so we consider a lower speed limit to be appropriate.”
The county council has not objected to the plans for retrospective planning permission for the car park.
Another part of the proposal is to lower the national speed limit of 60mph along Burford Road on either side of Minster Lovell to 50mph.
The village itself will have a 30mph limit, which is already approved, but yet to be finalised.
Danny Yee from Oxfordshire Liveable Streets said: “We support these speed limit reductions and suggest they should, if anything, go further.
“The 60mph national speed limit should only be retained where there is a proper central median, clear visibility, no side entries, no pedestrian or cycling crossing demand, and fully separated walking and cycling provision, either along the road or paralleling it.
“The 200 metres of the B4047 approaching Minster Lovell from the west should be reduced to 40mph to limit noise reaching the housing in the village.”
Mr Plater responded that the council believed 50mph was appropriate.
The B4047 Burford Road will be temporarily closed between Friday, May 1 and Tuesday, May 5 to allow for surface dressing works, and a ‘no waiting’ restriction will be set at Minster Lovell at the same time.
Access will be maintained for emergency service vehicles and for those frontages within the closure area.
The council’s vision zero strategy aims to reduce road deaths by introducing lower speed limits to make it safer to walk, cycle and drive.
The Farmer’s Dog was contacted for comment.
