A grandmother is suing television personality Jeremy Clarkson after suffering severe injuries at his pub, The Farmer’s Dog, located in the Cotswolds. Elizabeth Palmby, aged 68, broke several ribs and required surgery after a fall in the pub’s car park, which she described as hazardous due to “razor sharp” metal covers.
Elizabeth and her husband, Darren, traveled over three hours from their home in Scunthorpe to visit the pub in November 2022. Following heavy rainfall, the car park had transformed into a muddy area, with metal sheets placed over puddles. While carrying eggs back to the car, Elizabeth fell, instinctively reaching out to break her fall. This action resulted in a severe laceration to her hand and significant bruising to her knee.
“I didn’t realize how bad it was until they cleaned it up,” Elizabeth recalled. “I saw a gaping, open, jagged, ugly wound. It was horrible and very painful.” After reporting the incident to the pub staff, her husband transported her to Witney Community Hospital, where doctors discovered metal fragments embedded in her hand during surgery. In addition to the hand injury, X-rays later revealed that Elizabeth had also broken ribs in the fall.
Despite receiving a complimentary meal and new eggs from the pub following her injury, Elizabeth returned to The Farmer’s Dog to complete an accident report. Unfortunately, her subsequent visit revealed that no improvements had been made to the car park’s condition since her accident.
West Oxfordshire District Council granted planning permission for a permanent hard surface in the car park last month. However, work cannot commence until a detailed surface water drainage plan is submitted and approved, which may take several months. Elizabeth expressed her frustration, stating, “The car park was a total disaster. It is very dangerous and an accident waiting to happen. I am probably scarred for life.”
Feeling intimidated yet determined, Elizabeth sought assistance from Express Solicitors to pursue a compensation claim against Clarkson. The Farmer’s Dog has not publicly commented on the incident.
As this case unfolds, it raises important questions about the safety measures in place at public venues, particularly those frequented by families and older individuals. With Elizabeth’s ongoing recovery and the potential for further legal action, the focus remains on ensuring that such incidents do not happen again in the future.
