The short version: Jeremy Clarkson says he’s in a fresh row with West Oxfordshire District Council, this time over the car park at his pub, The Farmer’s Dog. Writing in his Sunday Times column, he said nearly 300 people work across his businesses and “all of them want to know if their jobs are secure” (The Independent, October 26, 2026).
If you’ve watched a single season of Clarkson’s Farm, you know the council is basically a recurring cast member. And they’re back.
What Clarkson says happened
Over the summer, Clarkson says, he was offered a large amount of hardcore (crushed material that works like gravel). He wanted to lay it on the field his pub uses as a car park, so it wouldn’t turn into a mud bath this winter. He says he asked the council for permission and hasn’t heard back.
“So I’m sitting here today, with the rain falling, and we can’t get permission. We’ve rung. We’ve begged. We’ve pleaded,” he wrote, as quoted by The Independent. “And all we get back is silence.”
He says he’s also waiting on the council about what he can do at the farm shop. “Nearly 300 people are employed by my various enterprises these days. And all of them want to know if their jobs are secure,” he wrote. “And all we can ever tell them is: ‘We don’t know.’”
His verdict? “There’s no doubt that the planning system in this country is broken.”
The Independent says it contacted the council for comment. No response was included in its report.
Wait, haven’t we seen this before?
Yep. The Independent recaps that the council turned down his plans for a new car park and restaurant in 2022, and that last year he was told he’d have to clear several hurdles to improve parking at the farm. Both fights played out on the show.
What we know about the show
Clarkson confirmed in September that Clarkson’s Farm is coming back for Season 6, with production close to wrapping, The Independent reports. Prime Video also announced a one-off special, Jeremy Grows a Car, on October 7 (Variety). No premiere date has been given for either.
Catch up with our Season 5 episode guide and where to watch, and everything else on the Clarkson’s Farm hub.
Sources
- The Independent, “Jeremy Clarkson reveals new row with council over Diddly Squat that risks 300 jobs: ‘We’ve begged’” (October 26, 2026): independent.co.uk
- Variety, “Jeremy Clarkson Returns to Automobiles in New ‘Clarkson’s Farm’ Special ‘Jeremy Grows a Car’” (October 7, 2026): variety.com
