Chaos in Cotswolds village ‘invaded by Premier League footballers’ | UK | News
Celebrities and influencers are pushing Cotswolds residents to consider moving due to their reckless parking outside properties and even in driveways; all to visit what has been dubbed ‘the UK’s most popular pub’.
Alongside neighboring Mason’s Arms, the Double Red Duke boutique hotel and restaurant has attracted famous faces including Kate Moss and Jeremy Clarkson. The gastropubs have become a magnet for celebrities and Premier League footballers since their acquisition in 2021. However, villagers report that the parking situation has ‘worsened’ due to ‘cars everywhere’ and conditions have become so unbearable that they are now considering moving. But residents of Clanfield in Oxfordshire are unhappy, claiming the businesses are causing serious parking difficulties and traffic disruption and are considering leaving the village. Residents placed traffic cones and barriers in front of their properties to prevent customers from parking. One of them noted that bar visitors use the driveway as a landmark: “If you say anything, you’ll be speechless.” One resident also expressed concern that this could affect property values.
READ MORE: Inside the quiet Derbyshire town loved by celebs including Taylor Swift
READ MORE: Best-preserved Tudor village with fairytale castle ‘like stepping back in time’
Tourists visit two popular gastropubs (Image: SWNS)
Oxfordshire County Council confirmed it had sent enforcement officers following complaints from Clanfield District Council. Some citizens described the road as “wall to wall cars”.
Ann Roberts, 67 and a resident of 13 years, said: “It’s evil. They park everywhere; some block our driveways. Every weekend my neighbors put up barriers outside the houses to prevent parking.”
One local resident, who has lived there since 1969 and is now 87, said: “One of the things that bothers me is when they circle around in my driveway. If you say anything you get a mouthful of abuse. “A young couple came out of Double Red Duke a while ago and they were parked on the pavement.
“I said, ‘I think it’s a little inconsiderate for people who use wheelchairs or kids because they have to be on the road,’ and he said, ‘For God’s sake, get a life.’ That’s the attitude you get.
“Yes, it’s a very popular pub, but when we built an extension onto the house we had to prove to the council that we could park our cars in the driveway. “If I had to park on the road when you got there I wouldn’t have come, to be honest.
36-year-old Victoria, who moved to the village last July, said the following about the situation: “You want local businesses to be successful, but the municipality needs to be more conscious.
“People park on top of the war memorial. It’s really dangerous for visitors to come at the weekend. On weekdays it’s not that bad. I don’t have a problem with the pubs, it’s just a problem with the parking.”
Local resident Chris Bridgewater told the BBC: “The biggest problem is that cars block access to emergency vehicles such as fire trucks.” “No one can pass.”
Regarding the “worsening” of the increasing number of cars in the village, he said: “The atmosphere of the village has changed. It is not very nice for people to park disrespectfully.”
“I’ve heard a few people say that if this continues it will impact the value of properties even more. If you put your property up for sale and they had it on a busy weekend, they wouldn’t even bother trying. We’re not saying it’s a 24/7 problem, but it becomes an issue on the weekends.”
Giles Horton, chairman of Clanfield District Council, said pub owners were “trying to be as cooperative as possible”. He added: “They ask their punters to park in the right places, but people are people; they park where they can.”
Pub owners Country Creatures declined to comment.
