I have made several trips to Jeremy Clarkson's Cotswolds pub but there was one change in particular that caught my eye, which in my opinion was baffling, when I visited over the weekend.
The former Top Gear and Grand Tour presenter purchased The Windmill in Asthall, near Burford in the west of the county, for around £1m last year.
After significant renovations and redecorations, the Cotswolds boozer opened its doors to the public in August of 2024.
Serving his alcohol brand Hawkstone in its many forms, including lager, cider, IPA and stout, the pub has proved popular with both locals and tourists.
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The watering hole was even the major focus of the latest season of Clarkson's Farm, series four, on Prime Video.
I have been on several occasions and was there again at the weekend, but noticed one switch up inside the boozer, which baffled me.
For those familiar with the layout of The Farmer's Dog, as you enter towards the left of the pub's front, you are greeted with the bar, a large tractor hanging from the ceiling and a piano.
There is also a cosy seating area, usually packed out with comfy red sofas and chairs, as well as other places to plonk yourself down and enjoy a Hawkstone.
Then the restaurant is located at the back, with a further dining area on the terrace as well as upstairs inside.
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Yet when I visited on Saturday (September 27), all of the sofas and chairs had been moved out onto the terrace while the usual drinking area was filled with dining tables.
This was further confirmed in clips and photos shared on The Farmer's Dog Instagram account, with no explanation on the change or whether it was temporary or permanent.
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As a semi-regular to the Cotswolds boozer, it seems baffling to me to remove the inside area to drink, which was easily one of the best bits of the pub, given the warm ambience it helped to create.
This is all the more so with the cold weather coming in, which was proven to be the case on Saturday as punters were forced to head outside in chilly weather to sip at their pints.
