After a slew omissions from the’red trouser brigade’, Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm restaurant was closed in Cotswold by a slew Jeremy Clarkson fan.
It comes after an enforcement notice by West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC), published on August 11, told the 62-year-old ex-Top Gear star he had six weeks to make a number of changes to the Chadlington site, which features in his hit Amazon Prime series Clarkson’s Farm.
It also meant that no part of the land could be used as a cafe or restaurant, or the general sale or provision of food and drinks to the public.
Clarkson was also told by the local authority to remove any portable toilets or tables used for diners and ‘landscaping material’.
It described an ‘unlawful’ use of the farm and said its ‘nature, scale and siting is unsustainable and incompatible with its countryside location within the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’.
The war went on as council bosses accused him in a retaliatory attack for continuing to manage the cafe/restaurant. They closed their doors for the evening, disappointing fans.
MailOnline learns that Dan Duffy is 36-year-old chief executive of the Energy Company. It’s a terrible thing that he has to face all of these rules. It’s not easy to do business in this country.
“It’s hard to believe that anyone would complain about the restaurant in this beautiful location.
After council bosses claimed that the restaurant and cafe had violated planning laws, Jeremy Clarkson appeals for an order to close Diddly Squat.
The West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) published an enforcement notice on August 11 telling the Top Gear star, 62, that he would have six weeks to change the Chadlington website. It features in Clarkson’s Farm series.
Clarkson previously attacked locals for wearing red pants because they objected to his lofty plans for Diddly Squat’s development.
Also, the town hall banned all sales of any products other than those produced on the farm or within 16 miles of the village.
With two motorcycling companions, Engineer Grant Filer, 60 arrived Thursday morning to see the Farm’s Cafe and Restaurant closed.
He said that he had ridden down to Oxford from work, so the closing of it was disappointing. However, he stated, “I think they shouldn’t close it because I’m sure it would be very well-loved.”
A woman arrived outside Farm Shop to purchase milk. She said that she believed the council was being absurd.
She said that she didn’t understand the problem and that he was bringing new business to the region. He is a popular shop and they queue up to enter his store. It will be an instant success.
Clarkson is facing a problem because his restaurant plans are located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, (AONB), which prohibits such development.
Dean Temple is a local Conservative councillor and sits on West Oxfordshire’s district council planning committee. He said that Clarkson was served an enforcement notice.
Council described the illegal use of the farm as ‘unlawful’ and stated that its nature, scale and location were ‘unsustainable’ and incompatible with the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
He said, “But I believe that he was seeking the confrontation for ratings reasons so he went to war against us.”
He continued, “He’s an extraordinary fella. However, what he asked for wasn’t in the rules. And we can’t make exceptions.
“We’ve been working with him for over a year, but he’s in violation of planning rules. A formal legal notice was issued to him about two weeks ago.”
Clarkson, who was well-known for his shop, opened an additional restaurant in the cow shed.
The tractor pulled a trailer that transported diners to their tables.
Unnamed local objector said that he invited 40 people from his village to the event and prepared seven meals with a chef who was an award-winning chef.
It was all shot for Amazon and the meal lasted less than a week. This was not for any other purpose than to benefit from the cameras.
“He just keeps pushing the boundaries. He is not allowed to sell anything in his shop that is not made locally but he wants to sell his merchandise so he charges £20 for a potato and gives them a t-shirt for free.
“He said he would close to show respect for Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, but he didn’t open on Monday.” This is how he pursues publicity.
Jo Hooley is 60 years old and a Chadlington resident. The road leads to Chadlington and people park along the sidelines. Buses can’t pass.
“What is really troubling to me about him is his division of the village. He has divided the village into two halves. Half of them are in his favor and half oppose him. It’s all that people talk about.
A 46-year-old villager said, “His supporters can make your life very unpleasant.”
He said, “I think the rules shouldn’t be changed.” He could open his own restaurant in many different places, if that is what he desires. He really just wants to make people laugh and be remembered.
Representatives for Mr Clarkson have denied any breaches of planning laws. The agents representing the farm appealed the decision, calling the demands by the council ‘excessive.’
Thursday’s council response was a strong-worded statement blaming the presenter for failing to follow its instructions.
He was told to cease use of any part of the land as a restaurant or cafe, and the general ‘sale or provision of food or drinks to members of the public for consumption on the land’
The spokesperson stated that the West Oxfordshire District Council had served enforcement notices on Diddly Squat Farm’s owners for planning violations on the site, on August 12, 2022.
Over many months, the Council officers worked closely with the owners and the planning agents to find out if there were any breaches of planning control. They also advised on the lawfulness and legality of how to operate the business.
“The business operates outside of the permitted planning areas and has ignored advice. It has had an important impact on the community.
“The council has taken enforcement action against the developer to make sure that the area’s planning laws are observed.
It is up to the council’s responsibility to ensure proper implementation of planning laws. In recent years, the company has received several approvals for planning applications, which were in compliance with local and national planning policies. Some have been denied where not.
“We cooperate constructively with many West Oxfordshire-based businesses including farms to make sure they operate in accordance to the laws and policies governing planning and development.
“The enforcement notice directs owners to cease any activity that is in violation of planning control.
“The council was made aware by Diddly Squat farm’s owners that they had appealed against the enforcement notice. This is a common practice when dealing with planning enforcement cases.
The council also stated that an inspector would decide on the appeal.
In their appeal to the Enforcement Notice on September 9, the John Phillips Planning Consultancy stated that they have the permission to use the farm for a restaurant and that there has not been any’material changes’.
Bosses also claimed that the location map produced by council was not accurate and claimed that the time period given for notice wasn’t sufficient to do the necessary work.
Appeal reads, “The proposed six-week period would be too short and would have grave and harmful impacts on both the business and the livelihoods of all those who work at this site.” I think six months would be a better time frame.
The agents concluded that the order ‘should be quashed in its entirety as a result’.
The price list of the Diddly Squat café and restaurant, which is open today despite being closed by the council’s order
According to papers served by the Planning Inspectorate, Mr Clarkson’s appeal was accepted as valid. Further representations are required in the coming weeks.
Clarkson believed he could operate the restaurant because he had modified a barn located on his property using a clause that allowed farm structures to be altered from their original purposes without the need for council approval.
WODC stated in August that it is investigating the restaurant’s application for planning after January councillors had rejected it.
MailOnline received a statement from a council source that refused to discuss the ongoing investigation by the local authority. It stated: “The council believes the same planning rules must apply to all.”
Jeremy Clarkson is treated the same way that any other West Oxfordshire resident.
Clarkson’s Farm: The star of Clarkson’s Farm works his 1000-acre tract of land located in Oxfordshire’s idyllic Cotswolds countryside between Chadlington and Chipping Norton.
In his hit Amazon Prime series, former petrolhead looks to have settled down for peaceful farming.
The show was a huge success, and opening the farm shop caused chaos among the villagers. They complained about the traffic jams on the country roads.
Representatives of Mr Clarkson were reached for comment.