Fans think Jeremy Clarkson has secret motive after admitting pub's £40,000 umbrella mistake

Fans are speculating online that Jeremy Clarkson has a secret motive after admitting to his pub’s £40,000 umbrella mistake.

This comes amid a controversy surrounding two pub consultants, Sue and Rachel Hawkins, who quit The Farmer’s Dog within 48 hours of opening.

The pair have become the focus of online debate after being featured in the season four finale of Clarkson’s Farm.

Brought in as experts on pubs, having advised on the opening of several spots in the Cotswold area, they clashed with Jeremy Clarkson following issues with the opening that saw staff having to use portaloos and numerous other problems.

Jeremy Clarkson’s £40,000 umbrella pub mistake

One particular hotspot between the pair and Clarkson was their suggestion to spend £40,000 on outdoor patio umbrellas.

The presenter had initially only budgeted £25,000 for opening the place, having previously spent big on renovations, such as paying Richard Hammond £20,000 to chrome a tractor.

Whilst initially rubbishing the idea, trying to come up with own solution, Clarkson posted on Instagram yesterday revealing that he had, after all, bought the umbrellas.

This came after a great deal of online criticism in which Rachel and Sue were rubbished for suggesting that he spend so much on them.

Staff who quit Clarkson’s pub after 48 hours respond to Clarkson admitting mistake

Rachel took to Instagram to post about it, saying of Clarkson’s decision to backtrack and get the umbrellas after all: “AND BEHOLD… the EXACT 40K umbrellas that have been the topic of so much discussion. [crying-laughing emoji].

“Not blocking the view & providing a year round weather solution with heating and lighting in order that 75 guests can dine comfortably on the terrace all year round… seems like 40k well spent?”

She went on to say it came ‘just 10 months, 2 stretch tents & 30 sun brollies later’.

Clarkson’s secret motive for admitting his Farmer’s Dog mistake

Clarkson has not yet spoken out about the backlash Rachel and Sue have received following the season four finale, however fans think that admitting he made a mistake is his secret way of addressing it.

One comment on Reddit about his Instagram post said: “Bless him I think he’s trying to assuage some of the negative press they’ve been getting.”

Another replied agreeing, saying that they may have been done dirty by the show’s editing. They commented: “I’m willing to bet the editing really made a narrative that they were terrible pop, and it doesn’t seem like it was totally on purpose so now he’s doing damage control.”

It clearly seems to be working too as even comments bashing them now seem to be taking a more measured approach.

One comment read: “The whole last two episodes were such a manic cluster I will never be able to suss just exactly what went down there with these two. I found them annoying at points, but that’s not a judgement but likely a symptom.

“We won’t know how this was all set up or communicated with them. They signed up for it and that’s all that matters in the end. They should have at least seen the weekend through.

“They didn’t and that’s not great…..but the complete meltdown in this sub the last few days over it has been more of an imposition than these two women on a show could ever be.”