In the first two episodes of latest series of Clarkson’s Farm, which launched on Amazon Prime this week, the former Top Gear presenter told viewers £200 worth of cooking oil, lightbulbs and even urinal traps had been stolen from his pub, the Farmer’s Dog in Burford, Oxfordshire.
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On top of this, Clarkson, who opened the pub in August 2024, said about 400 pint glasses are stolen from the Farmer’s Dog every week.
In the opening episode of the fifth season, filmed from autumn 2024 to 2025, Clarkson discusses a health scare that led to him having stents fitted.
Despite being advised by doctors to take it easy for six weeks, the Diddly Squat Farm owner quickly gets drawn into dealing with a growing list of issues at the village pub, telling viewers: “The list of problems was becoming huge”.
Among the challenges is the pub’s water supply. Despite installing a 6,000-litre tank that refills overnight, Clarkson stressed it wasn’t enough, admitting: “We keep running out”.
The site also lacks sufficient electricity, and with a permanent grid upgrade estimated to cost £200,000, the business instead hired a generator at a cost of £100 a day.
Pinch me moment
However, Clarkson, who also runs Hawkstone Brewery, wearily told the camera this fee was “nothing” compared to the cost of the theft.
Electrical issues also cause problems in the second episode of the new series, when the pub hosts Irish pop band The Corrs to launch its new regular live music event.
Despite being positioned blocking the pub toilets and not having sufficient electrical supplies to run both the kitchen and music equipment simultaneously, the group’s show was a success.
“Tonight was a full [pinch me] moment, we had this idea of what the pub would be like, and then you look at this and go ‘we’ve done it’”, Clarkson said after the event.
Meanwhile, Clarkson is also forced to buy more sheep, geese and other livestock to keep up with high demand at the Farmer’s Dog, which posed challenges back on the farm.
The pub was also hit by Storm Darragh in December 2024, which brought down several trees and tore apart the tent housing the on-site farm shop.
Meanwhile, the overflow car park also required further work, including the laying of hardcore.
Later on, the series followed preparations for key events at the Farmer’s Dog, including Bonfire Night and Christmas.
Ongoing pressure
Ahead of the fireworks display, Clarkson and farm manager Kaleb Cooper build a large bonfire, only for it to be set alight three days early by a former employee, forcing the team to rebuild at short notice.
Despite the setback, the event went ahead successfully, with an effigy of Prime Minister Keir Starmer burned in protest at measures announced in the 2024 Budget, which introduced a myriad of policies that piled on the pressure for farmers and pub operators alike.
As Christmas approaches, Clarkson is also filmed setting up a Santa’s Grotto at the pub, leading to the usual chaos shown in the series, including goats eating parts of the nativity scene and a cameraman being drafted in as an elf.
Despite the mishaps, Clarkson explained the attraction proved a strong revenue generator, with tickets priced at £10 per person, before accountant Charlie Ireland pointed out 20% of the takings go to the Government through VAT.
Clarkson also hosted a Christmas party for those who had helped make both the pub and Diddly Squat Farm a success, despite the ongoing pressures facing each business.
Reflecting on the night, he said: “As the drink flowed and the fire roared, there was no doubt we’d made a really good pub, but in the new year I knew we had to make a really good farm as well.”
Elsewhere in the opening episodes, Australian Formula 1 driver Oscar Piastri visited the farm to try his hand at tractor driving, while Clarkson and the team joined farmers’ protesting in London in 2024.
The first four episodes of Clarkson’s Farm Series 5 are available now on Amazon Prime, with more set to be released later this month (June). The Morning Advertiser (The MA) will be reporting on the series as it is released.
