The much-maligned council from Clarkson’s Farm has issued a response following viewer backlash to the newest season of the show.
When Prime Video started Clarkson’s Farm, many would have been surprised to hear that arguably the most consistent storyline throughout the show would be the former Top Gear presenters battles with local authority.
This often involved disputes over planning permission, eventually leading to their denial of his plan to add a restaurant to his farm shop.
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Fan backlash over the council in seasons two and three led to West Oxfordshire District Council issuing two responses, with one accusing the show of misrepresenting a planning meeting.
Now, another council that drew Clarkson’s ire in the show have had to speak out after Prime Video released season four last week.
Cotswold District Council were the culprits that Clarkson spoke negatively of after a meeting surrounding the attempted opening of a pub in which he met the council to discuss planning.
Whilst Clarkson would go on to buy a pub, The Farmer’s Dog, his first attempt was to buy a pub called the Coach and Horses.
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Following a meeting regarding the potential purchase of this, the presenter said that no one on the council had ‘anything positive to say’ and that they were worried about the footfall his purchase would bring to the area
A representative for the council released a statement to the BBC, saying: "We absolutely refute that any of the officers or councillors involved in working with Jeremy to realise his vision for the Coach and Horses had 'absolutely nothing positive to say' or were awkward.
"There were in fact several positive meetings between Jeremy and his team, and willing officers and councillors at Cotswold District Council.
"These discussions explored how challenges to renovating this pub could be overcome, as part of the pre-application stage of this project.
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"A planning application was never submitted.
"Upon deciding not to pursue purchase of the pub, Jeremy sent an email via his planning agent thanking the council for being 'so open and supportive', and for trying to find solutions to some of the hurdles needed to overcome renovation of the pub.
“He stated that 'the march of time and the feasibility of getting this done within a window that works for television' had been the project's undoing."
The Coach and Horses pub is a grade II listed building and remains closed to this day.
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Clarkson’s eventual journey to opening a pub is continued in two new episodes of Clarkson’s Farm, released today on Prime Video.
Clarkson’s Farm is available to watch on Prime Video
Topics: Clarkson's Farm, Jeremy Clarkson, TV and Film, TV
Michael Slavin