Jeremy Clarkson in showdown with residents over traffic jams for his shop

Long queues of cars and plans to alter site stoke row

Jeremy Clarkson has held a showdown meeting with local residents angry about traffic chaos blamed on his Oxfordshire farm shop.

The formerTop Gear host, 61, called the meeting at a hall in Chadlington after there was “debate” in the village over Diddly Squat’s future.

Since Clarkson’s business became the subject of an Amazon Studios series, viewers have queued for hours to get inside the shop.

Police were even called out to manage traffic chaos in June after the launch of the show, when hundreds of people arrived, causing long queues in an area that used to be a tranquil village.

Signs in the car park warned visitors of waits of three-and-a-half hours to get into the shop.

Clarkson has also stoked controversy by applying for planning permission to alter the site.

The parish council says it has no objections, but is concerned by the effect of incremental development on the community and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, as well as by parked cars overflowing onto the main road.

Arriving at the packed meeting, Clarkson, who was questioned about the traffic snarl-ups, quipped: “Hey listen, the village has created a bit of a traffic jam tonight.”

He said he was holding the meeting to explain his plans to residents to put a stop to gossip.

Clarkson bought the farm in 2008, and it was run by a villager, but when he retired in 2019, the presenter decided to run it himself.

The series won plaudits for its cinematography coupled with the staff who were not afraid to tell Clarkson when he was being useless.

Additional reporting by PA