Latest news with #TheWindmill
Daily Mirror
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Jeremy Clarkson's pub consultants 'feel stitched up' after being branded 'awful'
Rachel Hawkins, 40, who appeared on the final episodes of Clarkson's Farm, has hit out at the show and claimed she was 'stitched up' after fans branded her 'snobby' Clarkson's Farm star Rachel Hawkins has broken her silence about her involvement in helping Jeremy Clarkson open his Cotswolds pub, and she's not holding back against critics after facing severe backlash. The 40-year-old businesswoman reportedly believes that she and her aunt Sue, who is also her business partner, were unfairly portrayed as 'villains' to boost the ratings of the popular Amazon Prime TV show following the former Top Gear presenter's journey as a farmer. The pub transformers were labelled 'snobby' and 'rude' by some savage viewers thanks to a series of tense disagreements with Clarkson, who had hired them to help him with the mammoth task of getting his pub, The Farmer's Dog, off the ground. But it didn't work out, and Rachel and Sue, who featured in the final episodes of the latest series of the programme, ended up leaving the project just two days after the grand opening of the country inn. Their early exit led to some viewers to speculate about their reason for bailing sooner than expected. When questioned if Clarkson's Farm had been edited to portray her and Sue in "a bad light to make better TV", Rachel tellingly replied: "It seems to be the way doesn't it?" Speaking to the Daily Mail, Rachel didn't let the criticism get to her, adding: "It's a shame it was us, but it is what it is - we will keep a smile on our face, and keep our chin up." The businesswoman also revealed to the publication that she was unable to fully defend herself against the onslaught of public criticism due to a legally-binding contract, known as a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), with the production company. "I think it is best to not say anything further. I don't want to get myself into trouble," she confessed. However, one of her friend was able to tell the publication that Rachel feels she's been "stitched up a bit" when she and Sue were just offering Clarkson some "sensible advice" based on their expert knowledge. "They were ridiculed for suggesting to Jeremy that he buy three huge umbrellas for the outdoor area for the pub at a cost of £40,000. But it was a sensible suggestion and he eventually ended up buying them," the pal said. "It's just a shame that they have received so much criticism." In a memorable scene from season four of Clarkson's Farm, Sue and Rachel suggested that Clarkson shell out £40,000 on outdoor patio umbrellas, despite his initial budget of just £25,000 for the entire pub opening. Despite initially dismissing the aunt-niece pair's costly advice, it appears that Clarkson has unexpectedly changed his mind. On Tuesday, he shared a photo of his pub terrace featuring three brand new large "jumbrellas". Clarkson captioned the post: "Turns out Sue and Rachel had a point. @thefarmersdogpub did need big umbrellas after all! !". Clarkson acquired The Windmill, situated just outside Burford in Oxfordshire, last year and brought in Rachel and Sue to refurbish the venue, ensuring his ambitious five-week turnaround plan would stay on track. However, Sue confessed that the challenge of revamping the pub in such a short timeframe was "daunting" and "not ideal," but they pressed on with the project regardless. Outlining their ambitious plans to their bewildered new boss, Rachel said to Clarkson: "First on our list, covering the deck with some jumbrellas. We needed to sign it off in about 40 minutes to guarantee their arrival. They're three enormous umbrellas to cover the entire deck, approximately £40,000." Sue quickly added that the steep sum would encompass "electrics, lighting, and future-proofing" for the investment, only to be met by a stunned, slack-jawed reaction from the erstwhile Grand Tour presenter. Echoing his disbelief, Clarkson eventually found words to say: "Sorry, you're saying words... £40,000 for three umbrellas. £40,000 for three umbrellas!" He acknowledged the necessity for umbrellas but expressed his conviction that the cost was beyond reason, exclaiming, "I'm well aware we need umbrellas, I know that, but I genuinely believe that's nuts."
Daily Mirror
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Clarkson's Farm fans turn on 'horrendous' stars after disastrous finale
Clarkson's Farm viewers have called out two 'horrendous' stars of the show as they sparked a debate on social media Viewers of Clarkson's Farm were left gobsmacked when the closing two parts of the fourth season dropped on Amazon Prime, showcasing some eyebrow-raising financial advice that got tongues wagging on social media. The episodes ignited online chatter as a few punters accused show favourites Sue and Rachel Hawkins of egging Jeremy Clarkson on to splash some serious cash. Notably riled were those who'd watched the host grapple with budget woes throughout the seasons. The dynamic duo of pub gurus was roped in by the presenter for his latest punt, The Farmer's Dog, their knack for flipping flagging pubs in the Cotswolds into bustling spots is well noted. Yet, not everyone bought it when the ladies hinted at spending £40k on patio parasols, while Jeremy's wallet was braced for a more modest £25k to kick-start his public house plans. Jeremy had snagged The Windmill, a stone's throw from Burford in Oxfordshire, and looked to the aunt-and-niece team to whip the property into shape within an ambitious five weeks. Despite admitting the tight turnaround was "daunting" and "not ideal," Sue, along with Rachel, charged ahead with the revamp. The series treated viewers to a smattering of cringe-worthy haggles over sprucing up costs before the pair exited the venture just ahead of the grand reveal, leaving a sour taste for some armchair critics, reports the Express. One user criticised: "These two took all the money and, after just two days of operation, claimed the building was not suitable as a pub, quit, and left all the mess behind. You either point that out first and turn down the job, or take the money and make it work." Another voiced their opinion, saying: "These two 'pub experts' were horrendous. Anyone wanting to open a pub should give these two a wide berth. They gave all the problems but zero solutions." A different comment read: "Never have I seen two people promise so much and deliver so little. I have a burning hatred of everything they are. They took on a job, they didn't raise imperative issues beforehand, and just let people suffer and stress." In an explosive season four finale, the duo faced multiple setbacks with the pub, including non-swivelling barstools and a poorly positioned carvery unit. Sue and Rachel faced the music after a shambolic opening day. Rachel explained their position, saying: "We are pubs, and we know how to run pubs. We've done pubs forever. This building is not well-suited for its intended purpose. There are too many issues for us to run a successful business from this site, with failing water, no toilets, no gas, leaking roofs, and struggling staff." Sue voiced her concerns, saying: "Everyone is exhausted. Even when we say, 'Go for a break', there's no staffroom. They're weeing in a porta-loo. It's not lovely conditions. They love you and they love working here because of that, and they're excited about the British food, and everything this pub is, they wanna get behind it... But they're working 14-hour days." Clarkson, after a moment of visible frustration, added his own thoughts: "I have no problem with the staff, not one single problem with the staff," he said, having held his head in his hands. "They're all brilliant. They're smiley and they're nice." Clarkson's Farm season 4 is available to stream on Prime Video.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jeremy Clarkson bans customer from his pub over price complaint
Jeremy Clarkson has banned a prospective customer from his Cotswolds pub after they criticised its food prices. Clarkson, 65, opened the doors to The Farmer's Dog pub near Burford, Oxfordshire, last August and has documented the lead-up to the launch on the latest series of his Prime Video reality show Clarkson's Farm. The former Top Gear host didn't hold back when one Twitter/X user weighed in on the cost of dining at the establishment, which serves produce from Clarkson's nearby farm, Diddly Squat. The social media user claimed that the price for one meal at The Farmer's Dog was 'a bit much', writing: 'Thought @JeremyClarkson wanted an affordable pub for customers. £24 for pie and veg is a bit much.' Another detractor then chimed in with a comment about the price of British beef, claiming: 'Dead weight for British beef is far too expensive £6.89/kg for R4L [a term used for grading beef] down from the record high £6.98/kg earlier in the month.' Clarkson then responded simply by stating: 'You are now banned from the pub.' It's not the first time that Clarkson has laid down the law to bar potential customers from his new venture Last year, a photo of The Farmer's Dog's 'people who are banned' list circulated on social media, with prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and Clarkson's former Top Gear and The Grand Tour co-star James May sharing the dubious honour of being the first two people to be barred. May's Grand Tour colleague Richard Hammond has also previously joked that he is not allowed to visit the pub either. Clarkson took over the venue, formerly known as The Windmill, in June 2024, intending to serve food and drink from local suppliers. The concluding episodes of season four of Clarkson's Farm aired on Prime Video on Friday (6 June) and showed the broadcaster struggling to prepare for the pub's grand opening after mixing up the dates of the August bank holiday, with Clarkson eventually putting the finishing touches to the venue as customers queue up outside.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jeremy Clarkson pub staff walk out after 'too many problems'
Staff at Jeremy Clarkson's pub in the Cotswolds, The Farmer's Dog, walked out after facing "too many problems". The former Top Gear and Grand Tour host bought The Windmill in Asthall near Burford for around £1m. He set about renovating the spot and renamed the watering hole The Farmer's Dog in recognition of his pets and his nearby farm, Diddly Squat. The Chadlington-based farm is the subject of the Prime Video show Clarkson's Farm which was initially released in 2021. READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson announces new venture after Clarkson's Farm series four Its fourth series has had a staggered release over the past few weeks with eight new episodes in total. These new programmes show Mr Clarkson's decision to buy the Cotswolds pub as well as featuring the grand opening which took place last August. The final episode of the new season, released on Friday (June 6), exposed the challenges that The Farmer's Dog's opening faced across the August bank holiday. Problems saw several members of staff walk out from the pub, which was addressed in a candid conversation between Mr Clarkson and land agent Charlie Ireland READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson BANS customer from Cotswolds pub after complaint The Farmer's Dog pub in the Cotswolds. (Image: NQ) He said: "We've lost two waitresses. We lost a pot washer. After one day." The Express adds in a report that pressure mounted during a pub meeting with senior team members Sue and Rachel. They told Jeremy: "Everyone is exhausted, even when we say go for a break, there is no staff room. "The kitchen is about to go pop, those chefs have had it.... It might be worth popping into the kitchen." Despite the initial problems and hectic opening, the pub has found its feet and has been regularly welcoming healthy numbers of punters to the site with a full team on hand to meet the demand.
The Independent
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Chaos at Jeremy Clarkson's new pub in season finale
Jeremy Clarkson 's new Pub, The Farmer's Dog, faces chaotic preparations ahead of its opening in the season finale of Clarkson's Farm. Clarkson mistakenly believes the August bank holiday, the Pub 's opening date, is a week later than it is, causing a rush to prepare. The finale, titled "Landlording," depicts Clarkson and Kaleb Cooper struggling to hang the Pub 's sign amidst a long queue of waiting customers. Clarkson purchased The Windmill in Asthall, Oxfordshire, for under £1 million in August 2024, renaming it The Farmer's Dog. The Pub 's name was inspired by the discovery that the surrounding area is known for public sex, with Clarkson finding discarded underwear in the trees.
