A warning has been issued by the county council not to park near Diddly Squat Farm and shop.

More fans are expected to visit as the new series of Clarkson's Farm Season 2 airs on Prime Video on Friday (10/2) and the farm shop reopens after its winter closure. 

Visitors are said to be parking on roads when the existing car park is full.

Sharing a picture of damaged verges next to the site, Oxfordshire County Council posted: "If you’re visiting Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm Shop in Chadlington from tomorrow, please park safely and considerately.

"Don’t park on the A361. It’s just too dangerous. And please avoid parking on the verges of the narrow Chipping Norton Road as it causes damage."

 

 

In May 2022 Mr Clarkson's application to extend a car park at his farm was refused.

He wanted to increase the number of spaces from 10 to 70.

The plan also included new entry and exit points off Chipping Norton Road and a storage compound.

West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) refused the proposal and said it would have been "visually intrusive".

READ AGAIN: Jeremy Clarkson parking restrictions approval causes anger

Chadlington Parish Council said it was "concerned" that the development would have had a "harmful impact on the environment and the local area" and asked for it to be refused.

In a decision letter WODC said that the location, size and design of the plan would not have been "compatible or consistent in scale with the existing farming business or its open countryside location".

It said it would also have had a "harmful impact on the rural character, scenic beauty and tranquillity of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty".

However, in reports WODC's tourism and business support manager Sally Graff said the extended car park would have "enabled the safe flow of vehicles on and off the main highway" and "help to prevent" parking problems.

She said: "The overall farm shop complex brings benefits of trade to the wider visitor economy and fits within the Cotswolds destination management plan's aims and objectives."

In the latest twist to an ongoing dispute around the high volume of traffic descending on rural areas around the farm following its appearances on Clarkson’s Farm the county proposes to implement no waiting restrictions, the equivalent of double yellow lines, on the A361 and Chipping Norton Road.

A written response from Diddly Squat Farm said the measures “would have a fairly dramatic impact on our farm shop” and recommended holding off until after the planning enforcement appeal, stating that an extension to the car park would solve the problem. 

It added: “We must also consider what would happen if we ended up with parking restrictions on the road and no car park. People would still come in great numbers and would have to park somewhere. West Oxfordshire District Council has made it very plain I can’t use any of my fields so what’s the alternative? Chadlington?”

The decision was delegated to Councillor Andrew Gant (Lib Dem, Wolvercote & Summertown), the county’s cabinet member for highway management. 

He was recommended by council professionals to approve “continued working” between the county, district and Thames Valley Police to address the issues “either through a reduction in visitors by car or suitable off-carriageway provision for parking” with restrictions after that is completed.

However, Cllr Gant amended that to allow the county to proceed with restrictions when it felt appropriate.

 

Read more from this author

This story was written by Miranda Norris, she joined the team in 2021 and covers news across Oxfordshire as well as news from Witney.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Miranda.Norris@newsquest.co.uk. Or find her on Twitter: @Mirandajnorris

Profile: Miranda Norris Journalists news from the Oxford Mail