Jeremy Clarkson’s neighbour has launched a legal battle against his plans for a restaurant at his farm – while also claiming the former Top Gear host called him a ‘moron’.
Painting restorer Hamish Dewar says the former Top Gear presenter, 61, also called him a ‘busybody’ in a row about Diddly Squat, a farm which became the subject of hit Amazon TV series Clarkson’s Farm.
According to Mr Dewar, he is afraid of the idyllic village in Oxfordshire called Chadlington. This place, which the couple live, has been transformed into a Jeremy Clarkson theme park.
Clarkson plans to build a 60-seater restaurant on the site of his farm shop, which currently hosts a small café inside a disused lambing shed.
Mr Dewar expressed concern about the plans to expand the site which lies directly at the top end of the village.
He claims villagers are now afraid to complain about Clarkson’s project out of concerns they ‘might appear in one of the journalist’s columns’.
The 65-year-old Mr Dewar has been living in this sleepy village since 1988. He says that it is now plagued by tourists and traffic.
Jeremy Clarkson’s neighbour has launched a legal battle against his plans for a restaurant at his Diddly Squat farm – claiming the former Top Gear host called him a ‘moron’
Painting restorer Hamish Dewar (pictured) says the former Top Gear presenter, 61, also called him a ‘busybody’ in a row about Diddly Squat, a farm which became the subject of hit Amazon TV series Clarkson’s Farm
Clarkson responds in his Sunday Times column, he said.
“It means that people have a reluctance to express themselves.
‘He’s written about me in the Sunday Times, calling me a busybody and a moron.
“He described also the chairperson of the parish council as very rude.”
Residents have objected to 33 of the proposals. There is also a toxicology report that suggests the site could potentially be toxic.
According to ERS Pollution Consultative, the site is a former quarry that may be ‘contaminated. According to the proposal, it claimed that the site had been used previously as a quarry and may be contaminated. A thorough investigation must then take place before any construction can proceed.
Clarkson faced angry villagers at a public meeting held in October. He was answering concerns regarding his plans to build a farm shop. Photographed at his farm
Dewar expressed his concerns by saying, “The concern it is” [Chadlington]It is home to outstanding natural beauty.
He will see a huge impact on traffic if he has permission to have this restaurant.
‘[Currently]It is difficult to find anything worthwhile to look at.
“But, if there’s a restaurant or a bar that has an alcohol license until 11pm, then there will be more vehicles coming into the village.”
Dewar indicated that he did not wish it to look like the entire village was against Clarkson.
He added: ‘A lot of people have expressed their comments and complaints regarding the planning application on the council’s website.
‘But the legal side of it, I’m doing on my own.’
Clarkson’s planning permission application requests the local authority consent to build a 60-seater restaurant, along with 70 car parking spaces and an alcohol licence up until 11pm.
Clarkson was criticized by neighbors, but he is praised for his work in the promotion of the agricultural sector.
Clarkson’s plans for expanding his farm (pictured), were thrown out of doubt when he received a reply to his application stating that the land was a former quarry and might be contaminated.
The team of Diddly Squat Farm said in the application to West Oxfordshire District Council that Diddly Squat Farm faces an ‘acute reduction in Basic Payment Scheme’. It is presently being phased down.
It said the payments will reduce from £83,298 to £0 over the period 2020 to 2028, meaning the business may begin to struggle financially over time, explaining his desire to expand now.
It read: ‘It is reasonable for a farm business to investigate ways to replace this income with on farm diversification to create new income streams or expand existing enterprises.’
It stated in the application that Diddly Squat Farm’s Government Subvention ‘accounted for over 85% of the company’s profits’ in this fiscal year.
Mr Dewar added: ‘It’s a very beautiful area with beautiful views and this is completely out of character with the surrounding countryside.
‘Clarkson got permission to build there for agricultural use and now he wants to change it into a café and restaurant without giving it a fair chance to be used for agriculture.’
Clarkson was criticized by neighbors but he is praised for his work in the promotion of the agriculture sector.
Speaking at Cheltenham Literary Festival last month, author and farmer James Rebanks said Clarkson has done ‘more for farmers in one series of Clarkson’s Farm than Countryfile has achieved in 30 years’.
Clarkson’s Farm on Amazon Prime is so popular that there are long lines at the Diddly Squat Farm Shop. Neighbors have become concerned about the increased traffic to the area.
According to property website Rightmove, searches for homes in Chadlington increased by 511 per cent in June – the month Clarkson’s Farm first debuted – compared to the same period in 2020.
In October, Clarkson came face-to-face with angry villagers at a public meeting to answer concerns about his plans to develop his farm shop.
Following concerns expressed by his farm shop owner, the unpopular presenter called the meeting in Chadlington at the Memorial Hall.
Clarkson wanted to calm the fears of his neighbors and invited them to the village hall for a discussion about the farm shop, and to enjoy wine and cheese.
A number of posters were placed around Chadlington that stated: Jeremy Clarkson will be in the Memorial Hall explaining his plans, and answering any questions.
“All are welcome from the local area to attend. There will be cheese and wine.
After the release of Clarkson’s Farm’s hit Amazon Prime series, thousands have waited for nearly two and a half hours to be allowed into the Diddly Squat Shop.
Police were even called out to manage traffic chaos in June, caused by hundreds of Jeremy Clarkson fans descending on his farm in the hope of meeting him and to check out his stock, which includes honey, chutney and T-shirts.
The impact the shop had on Chadlington’s economy and villagers is disputed. It opened just over a year ago.
Clarkson’s Farm, which follows Clarkson’s journey through the 1,100-acre farming operation, was purchased by the broadcaster in 2008.
Recent revelations by the host revealed that he’s ‘happiest he’s ever been’, and that he enjoys every moment of filming his new series.
On its website, His Diddly Squat Shop is described as an “small barn filled with good and no-nonsense items”.
Amazon Prime The series is a hilarious and intense year of the lives of Britain’s least-liked farmer, with his family, who deal with disobedient livestock, inept crops and unexpected pandemics.
Amazon ordered a second season of Clarkson’s Farm for July 2021.