Clarkson’s Farm

[98elise]

TEKNOPUG said:

Truckosaurus said:

Neddy Sea Goon said:

Patience of a thaint thurley ?

Am I going to hell for laughing?

Back on-topic, Clarkson's restaurant seems a good idea - a basic set menu of mostly produce from his and other local farms. I'm sure there would be an element of 'celeb premium' to the pricing. I think the fuss comes from there not really being the 'plat du jour' tradition at British eateries, and modern consumers being used to chain establishments having massive menus (straight from the freezer via the Brake Brothers lorry).

Well I guess the shop and the restaurant is all "celeb premium". It would be interesting to know how many repeat customers they have and how many locals shop there, as opposed to fans and tourists. Is it a viable business without the celeb tourists? The restaurant is a pretty common concept and given the price and limited covers, would probably stand on it's own with a decent chef. But again, may simply be another easy way to liberate money from JC fans.

I would think the majority is celeb premium. How many people frequent similar farm shops and restaurants in the area? How many have problems with queues?

I'm a fan of the show but let's not pretend the shop and restaurant is anything other than celeb merchandising from a TV show.

[TEKNOPUG]

98elise said:

TEKNOPUG said:

Truckosaurus said:

Neddy Sea Goon said:

Patience of a thaint thurley ?

Am I going to hell for laughing?

Back on-topic, Clarkson's restaurant seems a good idea - a basic set menu of mostly produce from his and other local farms. I'm sure there would be an element of 'celeb premium' to the pricing. I think the fuss comes from there not really being the 'plat du jour' tradition at British eateries, and modern consumers being used to chain establishments having massive menus (straight from the freezer via the Brake Brothers lorry).

Well I guess the shop and the restaurant is all "celeb premium". It would be interesting to know how many repeat customers they have and how many locals shop there, as opposed to fans and tourists. Is it a viable business without the celeb tourists? The restaurant is a pretty common concept and given the price and limited covers, would probably stand on it's own with a decent chef. But again, may simply be another easy way to liberate money from JC fans.

I would think the majority is celeb premium. How many people frequent similar farm shops and restaurants in the area? How many have problems with queues?

I'm a fan of the show but let's not pretend the shop and restaurant is anything other than celeb merchandising from a TV show.

It's the paradox of all these reality shows that include "financial peril", from Escape to the Chateau to Gold Rush; how much money are you making directly & indirectly from the TV show (which never gets mentioned as income)? And given that JC must have made big 8 figure sums from both TG and GT, it's all somewhat moot.

Whilst I very much enjoyed CF exposing how difficult (potentially) it is to make a living from farming, if they include the income from the shop and restaurant in the next series, it wouldn't bear much resemblance to a typical farm shop business and would quickly turn from Clarkson's Farm into Clarkson's Hard Rock Cafe and Merchandise Emporium.

Edited by TEKNOPUG on Tuesday 12th July 13:10

[super7]

98elise said:

TEKNOPUG said:

Truckosaurus said:

Neddy Sea Goon said:

Patience of a thaint thurley ?

Am I going to hell for laughing?

Back on-topic, Clarkson's restaurant seems a good idea - a basic set menu of mostly produce from his and other local farms. I'm sure there would be an element of 'celeb premium' to the pricing. I think the fuss comes from there not really being the 'plat du jour' tradition at British eateries, and modern consumers being used to chain establishments having massive menus (straight from the freezer via the Brake Brothers lorry).

Well I guess the shop and the restaurant is all "celeb premium". It would be interesting to know how many repeat customers they have and how many locals shop there, as opposed to fans and tourists. Is it a viable business without the celeb tourists? The restaurant is a pretty common concept and given the price and limited covers, would probably stand on it's own with a decent chef. But again, may simply be another easy way to liberate money from JC fans.

I would think the majority is celeb premium. How many people frequent similar farm shops and restaurants in the area? How many have problems with queues?

I'm a fan of the show but let's not pretend the shop and restaurant is anything other than celeb merchandising from a TV show.

This whole area is now celeb city in the country...... we have Soho Farmhouse in Gt Tew a couple of miles away, Daylesford farm shop in Kingham, Clarkson's little shop and loads of little boutiquey farm shops all over the place.... I know where all the meat comes from and the pies etc as my son works in the butchers who makes them, and yes it's very local.

[Dr Jekyll]

TEKNOPUG said:

It's the paradox of all these reality shows that include "financial peril", from Escape to the Chateau to Gold Rush; how much money are you making directly & indirectly from the TV show (which never gets mentioned as income)? And given that JV must have made big 8 figure sums from both TG and GT, it's all somewhat moot.

Whilst I very much enjoyed CF exposing how difficult (potentially) it is to make a living from farming, if they include the income from the shop and restaurant in the next series, it wouldn't bear much resemblance to a typical farm shop business and would quickly turn from Clarkson's Farm into Clarkson's Hard Rock Cafe and Merchandise Emporium.

When discussing ow tough finances were JC did say something like 'what must it be like for farmers who don't have Amazon following them around'

[SydneyBridge]

Alex James (Blur) is also a neighbour and I think JC sells some of his cheeses

Think JC had planning permisson refused for his restaurant/car park extension etc, so I assume what he has done is a finger up to the planners

[TEKNOPUG]

Dr Jekyll said:

TEKNOPUG said:

It's the paradox of all these reality shows that include "financial peril", from Escape to the Chateau to Gold Rush; how much money are you making directly & indirectly from the TV show (which never gets mentioned as income)? And given that JV must have made big 8 figure sums from both TG and GT, it's all somewhat moot.

Whilst I very much enjoyed CF exposing how difficult (potentially) it is to make a living from farming, if they include the income from the shop and restaurant in the next series, it wouldn't bear much resemblance to a typical farm shop business and would quickly turn from Clarkson's Farm into Clarkson's Hard Rock Cafe and Merchandise Emporium.

When discussing ow tough finances were JC did say something like 'what must it be like for farmers who don't have Amazon following them around'

I agree that he has acknowledged that he's not dependent upon the success of the farm. But if they start including the income from the shop/restaurant as "farm" income, then I don't think they can realistically draw any conclusions as to how difficult it is to make a living farming.

[Condi]

TEKNOPUG said:

I agree that he has acknowledged that he's not dependent upon the success of the farm. But if they start including the income from the shop/restaurant as "farm" income, then I don't think they can realistically draw any conclusions as to how difficult it is to make a living farming.

No, but to be fair to JC, the whole point of the show is to provide an insight into farming, and he does want it to be authentic. There are plenty of farm shops which subsidise the farming operation mind, all across the UK. The whole reason for farm shops is to diversify and try and capture more of the value chain on farm.

[TEKNOPUG]

Condi said:

TEKNOPUG said:

I agree that he has acknowledged that he's not dependent upon the success of the farm. But if they start including the income from the shop/restaurant as "farm" income, then I don't think they can realistically draw any conclusions as to how difficult it is to make a living farming.

No, but to be fair to JC, the whole point of the show is to provide an insight into farming, and he does want it to be authentic. There are plenty of farm shops which subsidise the farming operation mind, all across the UK. The whole reason for farm shops is to diversify and try and capture more of the value chain on farm.

The income from the shop is not realistic though. It's massively above and beyond a typical farm shop, due to the number of customers JC's celebrity and the TV show's popularity attract. I live in the Cotswolds and frequent farm shops, none of them sell Merch though...

[595Heaven]

TEKNOPUG said:

The income from the shop is not realistic though. It's massively above and beyond a typical farm shop, due to the number of customers JC's celebrity and the TV show's popularity attract. I live in the Cotswolds and frequent farm shops, none of them sell Merch though...

Have you been to Daylesford?

Plenty of branded stuff there - as an example https://www.daylesford.com/catalogsearch/result/?q...

I can almost forgive them for their pricing because they’ve invested so much in the buildings and overall ambiance. There is nothing cheap about the place.

[ukbabz]

TEKNOPUG said:

The income from the shop is not realistic though. It's massively above and beyond a typical farm shop, due to the number of customers JC's celebrity and the TV show's popularity attract. I live in the Cotswolds and frequent farm shops, none of them sell Merch though...

Probably closer to Daylesford than your normal farm shop that's for sure.

[TEKNOPUG]

595Heaven said:

TEKNOPUG said:

The income from the shop is not realistic though. It's massively above and beyond a typical farm shop, due to the number of customers JC's celebrity and the TV show's popularity attract. I live in the Cotswolds and frequent farm shops, none of them sell Merch though...

Have you been to Daylesford?

Plenty of branded stuff there - as an example https://www.daylesford.com/catalogsearch/result/?q...

I can almost forgive them for their pricing because they’ve invested so much in the buildings and overall ambiance. There is nothing cheap about the place.

Do you consider Daylesford a "Farm" shop? They have stores in Brompton Cross, Notting Hill, Marylebone & Pimlico and sells artisan homewear

[595Heaven]

TEKNOPUG said:

595Heaven said:

TEKNOPUG said:

The income from the shop is not realistic though. It's massively above and beyond a typical farm shop, due to the number of customers JC's celebrity and the TV show's popularity attract. I live in the Cotswolds and frequent farm shops, none of them sell Merch though...

Have you been to Daylesford?

Plenty of branded stuff there - as an example https://www.daylesford.com/catalogsearch/result/?q...

I can almost forgive them for their pricing because they’ve invested so much in the buildings and overall ambiance. There is nothing cheap about the place.

Do you consider Daylesford a "Farm" shop? They have stores in Brompton Cross, Notting Hill, Marylebone & Pimlico and sells artisan homewear

And carrots…

And the best baguettes I’ve ever had in the UK

[Mezzanine]

[quote=595HeavenAnd the best baguettes I’ve ever had in the UK
[/quote]

Woah!

Bold claims being thrown around here

[595Heaven]

Mezzanine said:

Woah!

Bold claims being thrown around here

I’m sure there are better, but not that I’ve found in this neck of the woods. Find is so strange that you can get fantastic baguettes just about anywhere in France but a real rarity over here.

[FourWheelDrift]

And the local Daylesford shop (the Farm HQ) is where Clarkson visited in episode 1 and spent £83.44 on a ploughman's lunch for Kaleb.

[Mezzanine]

595Heaven said:

Mezzanine said:

Woah!

Bold claims being thrown around here

I’m sure there are better, but not that I’ve found in this neck of the woods. Find is so strange that you can get fantastic baguettes just about anywhere in France but a real rarity over here.

Give us a detailed breakdown - I’m hungry just looking at your comment!

[sinbaddio]

FourWheelDrift said:

And the local Daylesford shop (the Farm HQ) is where Clarkson visited in episode 1 and spent £83.44 on a ploughman's lunch for Kaleb.

Also local to Harry Metcalfe - and the Daylesford farmer lent him his 911 Carrera RS for his recent video.

[super7]

sinbaddio said:

FourWheelDrift said:

And the local Daylesford shop (the Farm HQ) is where Clarkson visited in episode 1 and spent £83.44 on a ploughman's lunch for Kaleb.

Also local to Harry Metcalfe - and the Daylesford farmer lent him his 911 Carrera RS for his recent video.

Daylesford is the hobby shop of Lady Bamford of JCB fame.....

[Condi]

super7 said:

Daylesford is the hobby shop of Lady Bamford of JCB fame.....

Indeed. If they can afford to give millions a year to prop up a failing government support the Conservative party they certainly have the money to invest in posh shops.

A place I used to work at invested about half a million quid in their farm shop as a venture for the owners daughter. It's all just money making more money!

[Lynchie999]

super7 said:

sinbaddio said:

FourWheelDrift said:

And the local Daylesford shop (the Farm HQ) is where Clarkson visited in episode 1 and spent £83.44 on a ploughman's lunch for Kaleb.

Also local to Harry Metcalfe - and the Daylesford farmer lent him his 911 Carrera RS for his recent video.

Daylesford is the hobby shop of Lady Bamford of JCB fame.....

I thought it was more of a Countryside Harrods when I went there... probably a good description for it!