Jeremy Clarkson was 'so determined' to take over village pub he 'offered landlord six figures' despite planning battles

Jeremy Clarkson recently bought his village pub – the Windmill in Oxfordshire – and is said to have offered almost £1million for the property he was “so determined” to own.

Since opening his farm, Clarkson has faced a battle with the local council over his Diddly Squat restaurant and his application to open was refused in 2021.

In an article for the Sunday Times, Clarkson said of the new venture: “I just needed a pub where it could all happen. And then, after visiting about 14,000, I found the perfect place.”

The presenter is said to have purchased the freehold of the pub and it is not linked to a brewery, suggesting that as a result he can sell his own beer and produce at the venue, which is located around 10 miles from Diddly Squat Farm.

Clarkson spoke about the renovations that have begun at the pub, posting on his Instagram: “A new pub is coming. All that’s left to do is sort out the water, gas, toilets, staff and electrics and we’ll be ready to go.”

According to MailOnline, the Amazon Prime star was “so determined” to take over the pub that he offered the landlord “nearly £1million” for it “within minutes of meeting her”.

Jackie Walker, 79, who is said to have opened the pub with her late husband Alan Walker in 1983, is said to have not put it up for sale and was surprised to learn of Jeremy’s interest which “turned into a deal completed within minutes of their meeting”.

She told the publication that a camera crew entered the pub, Jeremy knocked on the door and asked if she was interested in selling it, before meeting the 64-year-old at his home to discuss terms.

Walker said: “The first thing Jeremy said to me was: I guess you want a lot of money for this,” before revealing that he quickly made her an offer that was much more than she expected.

She explained that she accepted immediately and called Clarkson and his partner, Lisa Hogan, “lovely” and that she “really liked” them.

Jeremy also opened his own brewery

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“I hadn’t planned on selling the place, but I wasn’t very happy with the way it was being run and I’m not getting any younger.”

Walker said she stepped back from the day-to-day running of the pub after decades around 2013 when her husband Alan died, aged 73, 11 years ago and allowed the tenants to continue its operation.

Clarkson reportedly bought out the remaining five years of that lease from husband-and-wife owners Barry and Vanessa Eason when he closed the deal.

The Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? presenter’s latest project is set to form a major part of Clarkson Farm’s upcoming season, with the pub set to open later this year.