Locals fleeing Cotswolds village after ‘UK’s hippest pub’ attracts main celebs
The Double Red Duke and Mason’s Arms in Clanfield attracts celebrities like Kate Moss and Jeremy Clarkson, but locals say ‘abusive’ customers and parking problems are so bad they want to move out
Locals are fed up(Image: Emma Trimble / SWNS)
The ‘UK’s trendiest pub’ which attracts A-list celebrities and influencers has infuriated Cotswold residents who claim they want to relocate – due to ‘abusive’ parking troubles. The Double Red Duke boutique hotel and restaurant – alongside neighbouring Mason’s Arms – is popular with stars like Kate Moss and Jeremy Clarkson.
However, some inhabitants of Clanfield in Oxfordshire are far from pleased – and claim they create such significant parking difficulties they wish to abandon the village. Residents have erected cones and bollards outside their properties to prevent patrons parking there.
One added pub visitors ”turn in my driveway – if you say anything you just get a mouthful of abuse”. The twin gastro establishments have attracted stars and Premier League footballers since their takeover in 2021.
Villagers claim it has witnessed parking ‘deteriorate’ with ‘cars everywhere’ – and it has become so severe they now wish to relocate. One also expressed concerns it will impact house prices.
Pub proprietors Country Creatures declined to comment. Oxfordshire County Council confirms it has dispatched enforcement officers following complaints by Clanfield Parish Council.
Speaking today some residents described the road as “wall to wall cars”. Ann Roberts, 67, resident of 13 years, said: “It’s diabolical. They park all over, some of them block our driveways.
“Every weekend my neighbours are putting bollards out so they don’t park outside the houses.”
A resident since 1969, aged 87, said: “One thing that annoys me is them turning in my driveway. If you say anything you just get a mouthful of abuse.
“Some time ago now a young couple came out of the Double Red Duke and they’d parked on the pavement and I said ‘I think it’s a bit inconsiderate for people on wheelchairs or the children because they’ve got to go on the road’ and he just said ‘oh for goodness sake, get a life’.
“So that’s the attitude you get. Yes it’s a very popular pub but when we put an extension on the house we had to prove to the council that we could park our cars on the driveway.
“If I had the type of cars that you get there and I had to park on the road I wouldn’t come to be perfectly honest. When we first moved here it was a very popular pub and there was a lot of problems with getting in and out of our driveways.”
A local called Victoria, 36, who works in management at a tech company, relocated to the village in July last year.
She explained: “The other day I couldn’t get out of my drive. You want local businesses to be successful as well but the council needs to be more aware.
“People park on the war memorial. Weekends it just gets really dangerous with visitors coming in. It’s not so bad in the weeks.
“I haven’t got a problem with the pubs, it’s just a problem with the parking. The bigger issue is if the cars block emergency vehicle access like fire engines.”
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