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4 months ago
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Building work is continuing at Jeremy Clarkson's Cotswolds pub as he adds the final touches after opening it 'unfinished' for England's Euros final.
Following the success of his farming enterprise Diddly Squat, the former Top Gear star bought the village pub, The Windmill in Asthall, for £1 million.
The 64-year-old planned to convert it into an upmarket destination – charting his attempts to become a pub landlord in a new TV series.
Years in the making, The Windmill boasts glowing reviews and affordable prices, self-described as a 'magical Oxfordshire wedding and event venue in the heart of the Cotswolds' before announcing it was 'under new ownership' on June 4.
But he was blasted by publicans for thinking he can just 'rock up and run a pub' after splashing out on a local gastro boozer.
He also shared a first glimpse inside his new pub after opening the 'unfinished' venue for the Euros final amid renovation works, admitting that they hadn't planned to throw open their doors for another 'four or five weeks'.
Jeremy Clarkson, 64, shared a first glimpse inside his new Cotswolds pub
Clarkson recently purchased the Windmill pub with work underway to renovate the property
A digger was pictured moving materials as part of the renovation works
The Windmill is set in five acres of Cotswold countryside with stunning views across the Windrush Valley - and just ten miles from his Diddy Squad Farm
Despite early challenges finding staff 'thanks to Brexit ' and teething problems with a 'loft full of dead rats' and 'illegal' lavatories, Clarkson remains committed to getting the place back up and running promptly - writing in that he still has a wedding reception to host 'in a couple of weeks' time'.
He wrote that after buying The Windmill he discovered that there was 'a famous dogging site in the area'.
'I went to see West Oxfordshire district council, expecting no help at all, and blow me down, it was very happy to close the dogging site. So I was in business.'
The former Top Gear presenter said he envisions a 'fun' and homely pub with bar billiards, darts and a garden - and a place he can go on a Sunday with his granddaughter for gammon, egg and chips.
'Well-priced, British-grown food with a pint of Hawkstone beer,' he suggested in another gentle plug for his own brew.
Some of the furniture seen outside of the pub as works get underway
A skip is pictured as workers renovate the property ahead of its re opening in September
The Windmill pub pictured as the work is well underway to repair the property
Clarkson described the difficulty he had had finding the right pub before settling on The Windmill.
He 'obviously' could not buy his village pub - as 'the locals would set fire to me'.
Others came with extra baggage; one, he said, had been a county lines meth lab.
It was reported earlier this month villagers had raised concerns their 'Venice of the Cotswolds' could be swamped by visitors if he bought the Grade II listed Coach & Horses Inn in Gloucestershire.
The Windmill is set in five acres of Cotswold countryside with stunning views across the Windrush Valley - and just ten miles from his Diddy Squad Farm, where he brews his beer and cider.
In a video Hawkstone shared to Instagram he could be seen behind the bar that boasts copper and chrome details as well as fancy pumps.
The boozer also features cobblestone walls, traditional beams and a mezzanine floor all decorated in dozens of England flags ahead of their loss against Spain.
In the clip, after being asked what was going on, Jeremy said: 'Well, we've accidentally opened our pub before it is kind of finished,'
Clarkson described the difficulty he had had finding the right pub before settling on The Windmill, but now workers have cracked on with the project
He also shared a first glimpse inside his new pub after opening the 'unfinished' venue for the Euros final amid renovation works
It comes after MailOnline revealed that Jeremy was so intent on taking over his local pub that he offered the owner almost £1 million for it within minutes of meeting her
Surrounded by boxes he admitted that they hadn't planned to throw open their doors for another 'four or five weeks'.
Before going on to say: 'It's going to be very many weeks before we've got it open, but by mistake we've got very many people in here'
The caption read: 'Last night we got a bit over excited thinking that England might….so we accidentally opened our very unfinished pub for the game'
'More news to follow of a real opening much later in the summer or autumn'.
It's unclear if the venue was a private event or open to the public.
It comes after MailOnline revealed that Jeremy was so intent on taking over his local pub that he offered the owner almost £1 million for it within minutes of meeting her.
He was so keen to bring the deal off and make sure the project - and a spinoff TV show - could go ahead that he made the owner an offer she couldn't refuse.
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