Jeremy Clarkson: Local council intervene as farm shop reopening sparks queues

Visitors to Diddly Squat Farm Shop parked on the verges of narrow country roads despite a warning from the local council.

Albertina Lloyd

·Contributor

Updated 13 February 2023 at 5:46 am·3-min read

Jeremy Clarkson in Clarkson's Farm which has just launched its second season on Amazon Prime Video — Jeremy Clarkson's farm shop has caused traffic queues on local roads yet again. (Amazon Prime)

Jeremy Clarkson's Diddly Squat Farm Shop has sparked a warning from the local council about traffic congestion in the area.

Queues quickly formed at the shop - featured in Amazon Prime show Clarkson's Farm which has just begun airing its second season - after it reopened on 10 February 2023. And when the car park became full shoppers began leaving their cars on the verges of the approaching country roads.

This was despite Oxford County Council putting out a warning on social media saying: "If you are planning on visiting Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm Shop in Chadlington, please park safely and considerately.

"Don’t park on the A361. It’s just too dangerous.

Oxford County Council issued a warning about parking on the road outside Clarkson's Farm Shop. (Facebook)

"And please avoid parking on the verges of the narrow Chipping Norton Road as it causes damage

"The farm will be doing what it can to deal with the influx of visitors, so please follow signage on the day. But bear in mind the car park is small.

Customers queue to get into Jeremy Clarkson's Diddly Squat Farm Shop near Chadlington in Oxfordshire during the opening weekend of the shop following its winter closure. Picture date: Saturday February 11, 2023. — Customers queue outside Jeremy Clarkson's Diddly Squat Farm Shop after it reopened in February 2023. (PA)

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"If you are directed by staff, whether you are through traffic or visiting the farm shop, please be patient with them – they are trying to keep you safe and allow traffic to flow."

Since the shop was featured in Clarkson's Farm it's popularity has caused ongoing traffic problems on local roads.

In June 2021 the former Top Gear presenter apologised to local residents in Chadlington, the nearby Cotswolds village, for the problems his shop had caused.

Cars parked on the grass verge at Jeremy Clarkson's Diddly Squat Farm Shop near Chadlington in Oxfordshire during the opening weekend of the shop following its winter closure. Picture date: Saturday February 11, 2023. — Cars parked on the grass verge at Jeremy Clarkson's Diddly Squat Farm Shop despite warnings issued bu the council. (PA)

He said: "People of Chadlington. I’m truly sorry about the traffic around our farm shop last weekend. We are doing everything we can to improve the situation."

In September 2021 Clarkson served cheese and wine at a meeting he held for his neighbours at the village hall to discuss his plans for a farm restaurant and to assure them he would do everything he could to improve parking at the site.

He revealed at the time that the popularity of the shop had let to visitors urinating in his drive way.

Jeremy Clarkson outside his Diddly Squat farm shop in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire. 22 February 2020. See SWNS story SWSYclarkson. Jeremy Clarkson's Farm has been — Jeremy Clarkson has previously apologised to local residents for the traffic chaos caused by the success of his farm shop. (SWNS)

The Who Wants To Be A Millionaire host told worried locals: "You have my complete sympathy. I am just as keen as you are to try to manage the situation.

"I have people peeing on my drive. Look, I hope that now the school holidays are over and the pandemic is, hopefully, easing, there will be less.”

After being refused planning permission to extend his car park the TV presenter went ahead and opened a steak restaurant on site at the farm in July 2022.

He revealed he had been able to open the "rustic" eatery in a barn thanks to a "cunning little loophole" in planning rules.

Jeremy Clarkson with fans at the Memorial Hall in Chadlington, where he held a showdown meeting with local residents over concerns about his Oxfordshire farm shop. Picture date: Thursday September 9, 2021. (Photo by PA Video/PA Images via Getty Images) — Jeremy Clarkson held a meeting with local residents over concerns about his Oxfordshire farm shop in 2021. (Getty Images)

The local council shut down the restaurant a month later saying that the parking, toilets, traffic, along with the dining was “visually intrusive and harmful” to the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Amazon Prime was rumoured to have severed tries with Clarkson following comments he made about Meghan Markle in his newspaper column.

A third series of Clarkson's Farm was commissioned last year and Clarkson told fans of the new season two on Twitter: "It isn’t the last series. Don’t worry."