Overview

• In his latest Sun column, Clarkson revealed that Thames Water and local council officials showed up unannounced at his Farmer’s Dog pub to inspect compliance amid chronic low water pressure.
• The visit produced an eight-page mandate demanding changes from tap flow rates to steam oven modifications that his team deemed impractical or impossible.
• Clarkson condemned the requirements as “petty corporate bullying,” warning that heavy-handed regulation could hasten the daily closure rate of Britain's pubs.
• To secure a reliable, uncontaminated supply, he has begun drilling a 120-ft bore hole on site to tap underground water and bypass the mains network.
• The dispute underscores wider hospitality sector pressures from ageing water infrastructure, sewage discharge controversies and rising operational costs.