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North Wales Live
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
My experience eating at Jeremy Clarkson's pub and it's clear it's not like others
Steffan Rhys - ReachPLC's Deputy Content Hub Director - recently paid a visit to Jeremey Clarkson's pub - The Farmer's Dog - to experience what it had to offer. Here's what Steffan found during his time at the pub, which is clearly not like others... I didn't expect to love Clarkson's Farm as much as I do, despite being the perfect target audience: white, forty-something bloke. But the Amazon Prime Video series is a joy. And, late to the party, I'm now working my through the series at a rate of around one a day, currently closing in on the end of the third of four series, reports WalesOnline. There's a lot to love about it. It's funny, sad (I've just watched the piglets episode - if you know, you know), entertaining and informative but I think what I love the most is how passionate the show's biggest star is about farming and all its highs and lows. A large part of the four series released so far follows Clarkson's attempts to open a restaurant on Diddly Squat Farm where he can sell the meat he rears and veg he grows, as well as that of his surrounding farms. But the council and some of his neighbours are having none of it, so Clarkson has to give up on that ambition and "thought instead of building a restaurant we would buy a pub". The result is The Farmer's Dog about 10 miles south of the farm on the side of the A40 as it winds through the Oxfordshire countryside. It's about a 90-minute drive from Cardiff and eastern Wales, a pretty easy drive up the M4 and M5 motorways. One thing that really seemed to annoy council officials and some neighbours of Clarkson's original farm shop was the huge number of people visiting, clogging up the surrounding roads and parking on grass verges. So I was expecting it to be busy. But I wasn't expecting this. It was bigger than the Eisteddfod. There was a full-blown security and parking operation guiding arrivals into an enormous adjacent field with hundreds, if not thousands, of cars already parked in it. Visitors streamed like ants in formation between car park and pub and the stunned "bloody hell!" I heard from a fellow visitor pretty much sums up what I was thinking too. I'd naively thought that, given I had a lunch reservation (secured easily, several weeks earlier, on the pub website) it would be a quiet affair. After all, only so many people can fit in a pub, right? Wrong. Oh, so wrong. The first signs that we were not just out at your average local pub for Sunday lunch came a few hundred yards from our destination when the queues of cars and motorbikes started. Stewards in high-vis jackets directed us to a nearby field where, despite the numbers, we got a parking space easily (the queues on the road were short-lived too, to be fair, and I didn't even come close to losing my temper). Once parked, it was a short walk across the road to the pub, which surely has to be the most popular in the country. There were people everywhere. Dozens of people waited in line to get into the pub (you don't need to queue if you have a reservation and I was impressed that there was a staff member dedicated to finding those of us who did and ushering us to the front). Presumably, those queuing without a reservation were doing so in the hope of nabbing a table, a pint or a quick photo opp. We were an hour early for lunch so wandered around the back of the pub to explore the large shop, outdoor bar and huge beer garden. There were thousands of people here, sitting in glorious sunshine on wooden benches or on the grass, enjoying a pint of Clarkson's own Hawkstone beer and the gorgeous views out over the Cotswolds farmland that the man himself is so taken with. The shop sells the beer (lager, stout, IPA and cider) in crates and gift packs, as well as jams, marmalades, honey, candles, branded clothes and there's a butcher too. I came away with a crate of lager (£28 for 12 bottles) and a £12 jar of honey made from the bees on Diddly Squat Farm. Sunday lunch in The Farmer's Dog - is it worth it? A few minutes before our 1pm lunch reservation, we headed back to the pub entrance and were quickly directed to head inside and look for a man called John ("he looks like me but he's bald and he loves Welsh people"). Bald man located easily enough, he showed us to our table, possibly the best in the pub, tucked away on its own in a little corner right by the glass doors that opened out on to the large outside terrace. So not only did we have a view of the whole of the inside, we got the breeze and the sunlight of the outdoors too. It couldn't have been better. Much like Clarkson does on his popular Amazon Prime show (I was now starting to realise just how big it is), the pub is very keen to show off its credentials as a supporter of local farms. A blackboard on the wall names local farmers Vanessa Hartley and Nick Sinden, as well as Rectory Farm, as sources. We ordered a pint of the Hawkstone Black stout (£7) and a half of Hawkstone lager (£3.50). They're great drinks and we sat and waited for our food by watching staff move purposefully through the busy pub, carrying plates loaded up with generous and delicious-looking Sunday roasts and stepping over the odd dog lying at their owners' feet. There was a pianist playing a grand piano by the front door, a permanent queue at the bar for a pint and a feelgood buzz running through the whole place - everyone just seemed thrilled to be here, me included. My starter of cold-smoked Bibury trout (£11.50) was fantastic - generous, thickly-sliced trout packed with flavour and possibly better than any smoked salmon I've ever had. I'd been to the Bibury trout farm a short drive away two days earlier, which made it all taste even better somehow, as did the accompanying horseradish cream and watercress salad. I went for the two-meat main course with beef and pork (£26), which were the only two meat options. It came with roasted whole potatoes, roasted carrots and parsnips, spring greens, red cabbage, cauliflower cheese, Yorkshire pudding and gravy made from the stout. It's hard to distinguish one well-made Sunday roast from another so I won't try too hard. This one was generous, tasty and largely faultless (I could probably have done with a drop more of the delicious gravy). You could stick with one meat for £2 less and there was a vegetarian option of Wye Valley asparagus with pea pearl barley and a poached egg. Vegans didn't seem to be catered for, which may or may not be on purpose. We were too full for pudding but we did see an Eton mess (£10.50) and poached rhubarb crumble cake with Cotswolds ice cream (£10.50) being carried past. Both looked great. We were pretty much done with our food within the hour and the bill for two main courses, one starter and two drinks came to £80 (including service). Before leaving, I just wanted to soak in a bit more of the venue so took a look upstairs (also full, of course) and spotted the full-size tractor hanging from the ceiling above the pianist, which I'd somehow managed to miss on the way in. Final thoughts Jeremy Clarkson and Amazon Prime have created a phenomenon. But don't let that put you off. The queue for the car park was no more than a few minutes at most and that was the only waiting we did. Thanks to our reservation, we were straight in through the front door and we didn't need to queue at the shop for our beer and honey either. My over-riding impression of the huge crowd was how happy we all were to be there. If you wanted a beer (inside or outside) or something from the butcher, you should probably expect a queue, but that's pretty much it. I felt a bit guilty about being one of the hordes of people taking over what was presumably a quiet and anonymous part of Oxfordshire 12 months ago, but reports suggest most people in the area are happy to have the pub so consider me guilt-free now. I'm glad I went and will remember it for a long time. Pubs aren't only about food, they're about how they make you feel. And I loved every second of this trip. If it had been hammering down with rain, I might feel differently - but being from Wales, I should probably be used to that.
Daily Mirror
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Countryfile star emotional as he quits family farm with 'disinterested kids'
Countryfile presenter and farmer Adam Henson has opened up on what the future holds for his family as he prepares to leave his farm in the Cotswolds when the tenancy runs out Countryfile's Adam Henson has shared a poignant moment, declaring "it's the end of an era" as he contemplates leaving his beloved farm in the Cotswolds once the tenancy expires. The well-known TV presenter and farmer resides on the expansive 650-hectare Cotswolds Farm Park estate with his wife Charlie. He revealed their plans to relocate to a nearby bungalow, acknowledging that their children have chosen different paths and won't be taking over the agricultural reins. Off-camera, Adam dedicates himself to running the family farm, continuing the vision his father Joe initiated in 1971. Speaking to the Daily Express, he reminisced: "My dad was ahead of his time by opening a farm for people to come and visit, bottle-feed a lamb or hold a chick." Adam recalled his own childhood enthusiasm for farming, contrasting it with his children's career choices: "While I was pulling on my wellies and chasing my dad out of the door to join him on the farm, my own children aren't interested in a career in farming." He acknowledged his children's capabilities but noted their different professional directions: "Sure, they can lamb a sheep and drive a tractor, but my daughter lives in Perth as an events organiser and my son is a financial advisor in Leeds." Looking ahead, he shared their future plans: "So when the tenancy runs out in 12 years' time, Charlie and I are moving to a bungalow close by in Winchcombe, where we have a few acres and will keep a few sheep and the dogs." Despite the change, Adam expressed his enduring affection for the rural landscape: "It will be the end of an era, but I will still be able to enjoy the lovely countryside." In a heartfelt conversation with Reach PLC, Adam revealed the tough challenges he's faced in his life, opening up about his wife's battle with cancer, the heartbreaking loss of his parents, and his nephew. Adam expressed, "My characteristics are that I am an upbeat person, and I have got an incredibly supportive family, wife, and children, and people around me. "And within the business, I have got a business partner who I was at Agricultural College with and he is one of my closest friends and what we do is surround ourselves with people that are excellent within their own role in the business. Whether that is a manager or a farm manager, and we work really closely with the team and we are all very honest and open with one another." He went on to share, "I have had some very difficult times in my life, both in business and personally. My wife was very ill a few years ago, my parents dying, and I lost a nephew." Despite numerous hurdles such as foot and mouth disease, the Covid pandemic, and other personal tribulations, Adam credits his mental resilience to the robust support system he has built, "We have gone through foot and mouth challenges, Covid, and we have had some tough times, but I've never had poor mental health because I've had that fantastic support system around me."
North Wales Live
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
How Theatr Clwyd has relaunched with triumphant Tick, Tick...Boom! musical following £50m revamp
Theatr Clwyd in Mold has been undergoing a multi-million pound revamp which has lasted three years. ReachPLC editor Michael Green recently paid a visit to the popular Flintshire to take in its relaunch and to see how it is shaping up. Theatr Clwyd is back with a bang - or more accurately with a Tick, After three years and a £50m revamp, during which the celebrated Mold cultural centre has defiantly struggled through with a temporary theatre and even a Big Top, it was a pleasure to walk through the doors of the newly unveiled glass dominated frontage overlooking the North Wales landscape, reports Cheshire Live. As someone who went through the doors of the former building countless times in preceding decades, it was quite disorientating to find the magnificently spacious new interior looking completely unrecognisable with impressively vast areas set aside for eating, drinking or simply chilling out. Overall, the extensive project is still some way away from completion with such vital components as the cinema and the main restaurant falling under the banner of 'Coming Soon'. But I am delighted to report that the main auditorium - formerly known as the Anthony Hopkins Theatre - may have also been refurbished but has otherwise hardly changed at all, about which I am overjoyed because it has always been one of my favourite performance spaces. And my many, many wonderful memories of attending unforgettable productions here - whether it was one of their legendary rock 'n' roll pantos or some of the best Shakespeare I have ever seen during the days of the late, lamented Terry Hands - have instantly been added to by an opening production of Jonathan Larson's autobiographical musical so absolutely flawless and perfectly performed that it had me in tears on at least two occasions. It might seem an unusual choice as the relaunch show for a flagship Welsh venue, whisking its audiences off to New York in 1990 to watch a struggling young composer desperately trying to earn his big break while also coming to terms with the fact he is about to turn 30, especially as artistic director Kate Wasserberg has also decided to direct this herself. As it turns out, the choice is utterly inspired because I guarantee in no uncertain terms that every single person - and I mean: every. single. person. - is going to emerge from this show raving about it and the venue in which it was seen every bit as much as I am about to! If your only previous exposure to this piece of work (which I consider to be Larson's masterpiece rather than the better known Rent) has been the terrific 2021 film version starring Andrew Garfield and directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda then the first thing that may surprise you is to find there is a cast of only three but it is worth bearing in mind that in its original form, Larson would perform this solo (prior to his tragically untimely death in 1996 at the age of 35). But my goodness what a cast of three we have to behold! Ryan Owen is the central character of Jon with co-stars Christina Modestou and Tarik Frimpong primarily playing girlfriend Susan and best friend Michael respectively but also delightfully cropping up in a variety of additional supporting roles. Owen is a relentless bundle of energy as he narrates Jon's story, skilfully showing us the fragile ego, nihilistic despair and brittle optimism of the creative mind which is at its sharpest when he is offered the very real chance of economic and domestic security and rejects them in favour of the misery of the tortuous pursuit of his artistic dream. Frimpong as Michael is the other side of Jon's coin - a talented former actor who turned his back on such dreams for the financial rewards of a corporate lifestyle only to have tragedy strike in the cruellest of ways, something which Frimpong handles with heartbreaking sensitivity while also occasionally transforming himself into Jon's ageing father. Meanwhile, Modestou is unfailingly warm and appealing as Susan but also glamorously tempting as singer Karessa while demonstrating her exceptional versatility as the hilariously over the top New Yorker agent Rosa Stevens. When performing the musical numbers (aided by a brilliant live band suspended on a balcony above the action throughout), they are all breathtaking as soloists but their harmonies as a threesome are so perfect and natural you would be forgiven for thinking they have been singing together their whole lives. Every one of the songs is performed magnificently but I have to single out the ingenious staging of the duet between Owen and Modestou that is Therapy, choreographed and executed with such invention and expert timing. And then there is Come To Your Senses, one of my favourite songs in the whole of musical theatre and unlike Therapy, staged with beautifully judged simplicity as Christina Modestou stands in front of a mic stand and just belts it out with such power and passion that this proved to be the first occasion of the evening when tears were brought to my eyes. The other occasion came when the three of them teamed up for the extraordinary final song Louder Than Words which ended with the show's title being lowered from the rafters as a giant neon sign which was the signal for everyone in the audience to rightly rise to their feet to give these performers a well deserved standing ovation. The production is presented without an interval which is another inspired decision as this is a show which holds you spellbound from start to finish. In fact, I just did not want it to end and would have been perfectly happy if they had just started all over again! If this was being staged in the West End, I am confident it would run for years but as it is, you only have until June 28 to see it and tickets are selling extremely fast. Mind you, I am seriously considering starting a social media campaign demanding the run be extended and have every intention of going to see it again before it disappears!
Daily Mirror
31-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Adam Henson supported by family as he makes heartbreaking farm admission
Countryfile star Adam Henson has opened up about the support he has from family and friends and how, over the years, he has faced some challenges while running the farm Adam Henson, known from BBC's Countryfile, has candidly spoken out about the hurdles he's encountered in both his professional and personal spheres. While not on screen, Adam is hard at work managing his family farm in the Cotswolds, a legacy started by his father Joe back in 1971. During an intimate chat with Reach PLC, Adam shared insight into the critical support provided by loved ones and friends, admitting that steering the farm has indeed presented numerous obstacles over time. Further delving into his private life, Adam disclosed the tough period following his wife Charlie's cancer diagnosis. Adam conveyed his natural optimism, saying: "My characteristics are that I am an upbeat person, and I have got an incredibly supportive family, wife and children and people around me.," reports Gloucestershire Live. Speaking of his professional dealings, he said: "And within the business, I have got a business partner who I was at Agricultural College with and he is one of my closest friends and what we do is surround ourselves with people that are excellent within their own role in the business. Whether that is a manager or a farm manager, and we work really closely with the team and we are all very honest and open with one another. "I have had some very difficult times in my life, both in business and personally. My wife was very ill a few years ago, my parents dying, and I lost a nephew." Sharing on how he's coped with these trials, he noted: "We have gone through foot and mouth challenges, Covid, and we have had some tough times, but I've never had poor mental health because I've had that fantastic support system around me." In an emotional disclosure, Adam and his wife previously opened up about the tremendous impact that the cancer diagnosis had on their lives. Back in 2021, the couple were confronted with the news they had been fearing when Charlie was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Charlie confided to the Daily Mirror, expressing the shock they felt: "It was both barrels," as she recounted the moment a significant tumour was discovered on her pancreas. "We knew people who'd died of pancreatic cancer, and I absolutely felt this was going to be the end of my life." Adam shared his own turmoil: "I felt physically sick," while Charlie recalled the overwhelming confirmation of their worries, saying: "Our darkest fears were confirmed. Adam had to practically carry me down the corridor. My legs were like jelly." The couple sought help from one of the nation's top specialists, leading to Charlie being slated for a risky surgery, with the outcome hanging in the balance. On the day, Adam described the emotionally charged atmosphere: "There were a lot of tears and a lot of emotion in the room." The family then travelled to London for Charlie's painstaking procedure, during which she prepared for the worst by penning final letters to Adam, their kids, and her siblings. However, two years on from those heart-wrenching times, Charlie has made steps towards normality, working part-time and living in anticipation of her six-monthly scans. Countryfile is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Business News Wales
21-05-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Business News Wales Appoints Paul Scanlon as Head of Commercial
Paul Scanlon, Head of Commercial, Business News Wales Business News Wales has appointed Paul Scanlon as its new Head of Commercial as it moves into a new phase of strategic growth and commercial development. Founded in 2015, Business News Wales has grown organically into the country's leading independent business media platform. Built on a model of collaboration and focused on providing a platform to hear the voices of industry across Wales, the business has established itself as a trusted space for business leaders to share insights, news, and expert perspectives across sectors. With a new investor group now supporting the business, founder Mark Powney is focused on strengthening the company's commercial operations. This will involve expanding its reach both across Wales and beyond, increasing its internal capabilities, and enhancing its services to better support Welsh businesses. The company is also preparing to launch a range of print editions to complement its established digital presence. Paul Scanlon joins the business following more than eight years as Head of Digital Sales at Reach PLC, bringing with him a wealth of experience in regional media, commercial strategy, and digital innovation. Paul said: 'I've been taken aback by the size and depth of the network that exists within Business News Wales. It's also surprising how many of those network connections and thousands of readers are unaware of the full value and range of services the Business News Wales team offers. There is huge potential here to build stronger relationships and create meaningful commercial partnerships.' Founder and Managing Director, Mark Powney, added: 'This is a pivotal moment for the business. We've spent the last decade building a trusted platform, working side by side with industry leaders to give Welsh business a credible and consistent voice. With Paul's appointment and the backing of our new investors, we're now ready to turn that influence into a high growth commercial model, one that will allow us to scale, innovate, and launch new formats, including an expansion into print.' Business News Wales continues to operate on its core principles of collaboration, curation, and credibility, aiming to become not just the leading business media brand in Wales, but a respected voice across borders, sectors, and platforms.
