Grandmother Takes Legal Action Against Jeremy Clarkson Following Pub Car Park Accident
A 68-year-old grandmother has initiated a legal claim for damages against television personality Jeremy Clarkson after allegedly suffering injuries from a fall in the car park of his renowned Oxfordshire pub, The Farmer's Dog. Elizabeth Palmby, an NHS worker from Scunthorpe, claims the incident occurred during a visit to the pub last November, resulting in a hand wound requiring surgery and broken ribs.
Details of the Alleged Incident
Ms Palmby told the Daily Mail that she and her husband visited Clarkson's Diddly Squat farm shop before heading to The Farmer's Dog pub, where she enjoyed a soft drink. The car park was described as a field with metal sheets laid on the ground as temporary walkways. According to her account, heavy rain had made the area muddy, causing the sheets to shift and rise up as vehicles drove over them.
"It happened in slow motion - I caught my foot on one of the upturned sheets and my feet went from under me," Ms Palmby stated. She reported the incident to pub staff before being driven to Whitney Community Hospital, where doctors discovered a jagged wound on her hand with a metal shard embedded, along with broken ribs confirmed by X-rays.
Aftermath and Legal Proceedings
Following surgery to close the hand wound, Ms Palmby returned to the pub car park and alleges no improvements had been made, with no warning signs about uneven surfaces. While planning permission for a permanent car park surface has been approved, drainage issues have delayed the work. The Mirror reports that Ms Palmby has now formally launched a legal claim against Clarkson for damages.
Representatives for Jeremy Clarkson and The Farmer's Dog pub have been contacted for comment. The pub, which opened in August 2024, faced significant operational challenges initially, with Clarkson describing the opening weekend as "a disaster" on his Amazon show Clarkson's Farm. Despite early struggles including water shortages and overwhelmed facilities, the venue has since become a popular destination.
Context of Clarkson's Business Ventures
Jeremy Clarkson's popularity surged following the 2021 debut of Clarkson's Farm, which documents his agricultural endeavors in Oxfordshire. The Farmer's Dog represents an expansion of these business interests, though it has encountered various difficulties from its inception. Contractors reportedly resigned within 48 hours of opening, citing poor working conditions, while Clarkson himself wrote in The Times about requiring hazmat engineers to address sanitation issues.
Nevertheless, the pub has overcome these early problems to establish itself as a successful venture, regularly attracting visitors despite the current legal dispute. The case highlights ongoing concerns about visitor safety at rural tourist attractions operated by celebrities.
