A historic country pub in a picture postcard village is up for sale – after Jeremy Clarkson took over its nearest rival and suddenly their business dropped dramatically.
The Three Horseshoes has been serving the quaint Cotswolds hamlet of Asthall, Oxfordshire since the 18th century – but since Clarkson opened The Farmer’s Dog just a mile away last year the two rival pubs are understood to have had strikingly different fortunes.
Clarkson’s sprawling hostelry, which started trading in August, has seen tens of thousands of his fans flock to enjoy its traditional British fare while visiting celebrities such as James Corden, Ellen DeGeneres and James Blunt have kept The Farmer’s Dog’s media profile high.
But it seems that the wild success of The Farmer’s Dog has sucked business away from The Three Horseshoes and has now learned that its owners have put it up for sale.
When visited the rival pubs this week, their respective levels of popular appeal were starkly apparent.
At Clarkson’s pub, every single table at the establishment had been pre-booked – for most rural pubs an unheard of rush on a midweek lunchtime – and the dozens who had turned up without a booking were left to stand at the bar or tor retire to the large overflow beer tent adjoining the pub.
And as well as spending money in The Farmer’s Dog, many also visited the adjoining shop which sells goods branded with the pub’s name as well as items from the owner’s Diddly Squat farm as featured in his hit show Clarkson’s Farm.
So busy was the pub that staff in high vis jackets were kept constantly busy directing the endless stream of arriving cars to vacant spots in the carpark and over flow car park, both of which were quickly full.
One worker revealed that they frequently deal with 600 cars per day as ‘thousands’ of customers visit the pub.
But just down the road on the same day, there were only five people in The Three Horseshoes on the same afternoon, and nobody was seated outdoors in its elegant beer garden that offers stunning views of the surrounding Cotswolds hills despite the early Spring sunshine.
Its car park was virtually empty while inside, bar staff stood around chatting amongst themselves rather than serving.
One local who was leaving after a quick pint said: ‘This is a beautiful pub but since The Farmer’s Dog opened, nobody is interested in it, which is a real pity because the food and the ambience is much better here.
‘Clarkson’s pub is just a big commercial venture but he’s a big name and that’s what people want. If they want to experience a genuine Cotswolds pub then they should really come here but it doesn’t have the star appeal.’
Despite falling on hard times, money is not being seen as the primary reason as to why The Three Horseshoes has discretely been put on the market.
It is owned by extremely well-heeled Cotswolds entrepreneur Baroness Carole Bamford, the wife of Anthony, Lord Bamford, the billionaire boss of the JCB digger empire. The couple and their family are worth an estimated £7.65 billion, making them the 19th richest in the UK.
Lady Bamford also runs Daylesford Organic, which is a firm favourite of the ‘Chipping Norton’ set. Her company also owns four other pubs and 32 holiday cottages in the area.
Two years ago, The Three Horseshoes underwent a major renovation project which is estimated to have cost more than £1 million. It led to creation of six stylish bedrooms in ‘Daylesford style’ which cost between £170 to £240 per night.
One Asthall resident told : ‘At the end of the day they are business people, regardless of how much money they’ve got and if a part of your business isn’t doing well, then you sell it. But we don’t know the real reason for why it’s being sold.’
Lynne Hughson, chair of Asthall Parish Council confirmed: ‘The Three Horseshoes is for sale. We don’t know much more than that.’
Clarkson’s pub and The Three Horseshoes offer contrasting menus, which some visitors to both establishments claimed may account for the decline of the latter.
At The Farmer’s Dog the menu includes gammon steak, steak pie and sausage.
The Three Horseshoes meanwhile offers more delicate fare such as: Smoked cod row souffle, crispy samphire, lobster bisque or roasted cauliflower with harissa hummus.
Joseph O’Connor, who had just had lunch at The Three Horseshoes said: ‘The menu here is more upmarket and expensive. This a more stylish place for the discerning palate and perhaps that doesn’t bring in a lot of customers.’
Jas Hare, who was visiting The Farmer’s Dog from Birmingham said: ‘It’s a great British boozer that offers traditional food. Obviously, I’ve come here because of Clarkson but at the same time, this is what most people enjoy, not fancy food that doesn’t fill you up.’
A pub has stood on the site of The Three Horseshoes since 1726 making it one of the oldest drinking establishments in the area.
The sale of the pub is being handled by Savills and is described as a ‘turn key’ opportunity after recently benefiting from extensive investment.
No price is listed for the pub and prospective buyers are asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement before further details for the property are supplied.
Savills states on its website: ‘The business is currently trading and under no circumstances should the staff or business be contacted directly. If visiting as a customer, please be discreet.’
Savills are also quick to cash in on the surging popularity of The Farmer’s Dog in an effort to find a buyer for The Three Horseshoes.
The upmarket estate agent states on its website: ‘Locations of interest include Jeremy Clarkson’s The Farmer’s Dog public house situated 1.0 mile south.’