The TV presenter and star of Clarkson’s Farm is hoping fans will descend on his boozer, The Farmer’s Dog, to watch the racing which is just 25 miles away from the event
Telly petrolhead Jeremy Clarkson is betting on horse power to boost his boozer’s fortunes – by staging a mini-Cheltenham festival.
He hopes fans who cannot get tickets for the real thing will descend on his Cotswolds boozer The Farmer’s Dog 25 miles down the road to watch the action on the big screen in a tent.
The Clarkson’s Farm star has fitted out his Grand Tour marquee – named after his telly car show – with TVs to show all 28 races over four days next week.
The pub staged a Cheltenham preview – hosted by ITV racing presenter Francesca Cumani – at which legends of the sport Tom Scudamore, Nicky Henderson and Fergal O’Brien cast their expert eyes over the runners and riders.
Clarkson’s Hawkstone brewery was one of the event’s sponsors.
On its Instagram page the pub declared: “March means Cheltenham in the Cotswolds. All our bookings for lunch and dinner throughout March are now open for before, during and after the racing and for the whole month!
“Hurry to get your booking. Screens will be in the tent! It’ll be an excellent place to watch the racing, Hawkstone in hand.”
Clarkson, 64, replied: “Horses. Great. Can’t wait.’’
In the past he has revealed he loves the ‘tweedy orgy of noise and ruddy-faced exuberance’ at Cheltenham.
“I like a punt,” he has said.
“I’ve been known to while away an evening at the blackjack table, not because I want to win but because it’s fun. I like the races too.
“I go to Cheltenham most years and it’s very exciting when those rich people’s pets come panting up the hill and the stands erupt in a tweedy orgy of noise and ruddy-faced exuberance.”
Clarkson, who bought the boozer in August 2024 and spent up to £1m sprucing it up, has revealed how ‘it’s extremely difficult to make a pub profitable’.
He said the ‘rot started’ with the smoking ban which encouraged folk to drink at home, Brexit sparked staff shortages and the Government’s National Insurance hike has added to money woes.
“God knows if we’ll ever make our money back,” he said in October.
“It’s possible that for every customer who comes through the door I’d lose about £10. Behind the scenes, then, everything is a total disaster.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
