Jeremy Clarkson's pub 'losing £10 per customer' after charging Michelin prices

Jeremy Clarkson's pub, The Farmer's Dog, is reportedly struggling to make ends meet, with the TV presenter claiming it makes a loss of £10 per person who walks through the door

Former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson has admitted that his latest enterprise, The Farmer's Dog, is rapidly becoming a financial black hole, despite its grand opening during the festive season.

Aged 64, Clarkson revealed that he had invested a staggering £1million in refurbishing the once defunct village pub. He expressed doubts about making a return on the hefty investment, telling the Daily Mail, "God knows if we'll ever make our money back."

Surprisingly, the business struggles to break even despite having a celebrity owner and charging premium prices for traditional British dishes.

In his The Times column, Clarkson said the pub is losing around £10 per diner, saying, "I asked an AI program to work out what the average price of lunch in a Cotswolds pub is and just charged that." Adding: "It's possible that for every customer who comes through the door, I'd lose about £10."

The eatery has come under scrutiny for its pricing; it serves classic comfort foods like a steak pie with mash and gravy, or a wholesome Lancashire hot pot, each at the cost of £19.

Punters at Jeremy Clarkson's pub, The Hawkstone Arms, are facing hefty prices for traditional pub grub, with the daily special sausage with mash and gravy hitting £18 and a hearty vegetable cheddar crumble for £15. Even the desserts, such as apple crumble and cheesecake, command high prices at £8 each, while pints of Hawkstone beer and cider are fetching a considerable £6.

Despite this, Clarkson staunchly stands by his pricing, emphasising the exceptional quality of the produce: "Every single thing was grown by British farmers, even the black pepper and the sugar! ".

The pub has faced criticism for its pricing, but Kaleb Cooper from 'Clarkson's Farm' weighed in on the debate during a conversation with Metro, asserting, "I don't think there's any difference in prices to any other pub."

Clarkson's financial advisor Charlie Ireland also chimed in on the matter, highlighting that although their prices are reflective of the typically costly Cotswolds area, their strategy aimed for affordability: "We aimed for a bit cheaper than the local area because the pubs are sort of renowned for high prices. We've tried to make it affordable for people."