'I stayed at James May's pub for £175 a night and one thing stood out'

From Jeremy Clarkson's now-famous country pub to James Blunt's London watering hole, celebrity-owned pubs have become something of a British fascination.

There's a certain novelty in pulling up a chair where famous names might have once sipped a pint or perhaps still do. These spots aren't just your normal local; they're part of a growing trend where stars pour their fortunes into doing what many have always talked about, but never actually succeeded with.

While some pubs might more obviously be owned by a famous face, such as The Farmer's Dog, being the star of the latest season of Clarkson's Farm, or even subtle hints like Sir Ian McKellan's pub The Grapes, which has Gandalf's staff proudly sat behind the bar, James May has opted to stay out of the limelight.

The Royal Oak is tucked away in the rolling countryside around Swallowcliffe in Wiltshire.

Originally, the pub was the former Top Gear presenter's local, but back in 2020, when it looked like the pub was about to go under, he decided he didn't want to lose his local, so he stepped in to save it.

Speaking to New Valley News back in 2020, when he made the purchase, he said: "It seems like a really bad idea on the face of it. The real reason is that it is the only pub within walking distance from our house in Ansty, and if that closed down, which it was about to do, I wouldn't have a pub close by, and country life would be pointless. So, I felt like I had to do it."

He added: "My hope is that it can survive, but we are not looking to turn it into a gastropub with £25 gin and tonic. We aren't trying to make it into a destination experience; we want it to be a nice pub for locals and walkers."

With some rooms also to stay in, one reviewer made the trip to Wiltshire and paid £175 for a mid-level room, so it isn't exactly the cheapest spot.

Posting about his experience at the pub on TikTok, Phil Carr said: "It seems every pub in the UK now is either a Wetherspoons or owned by someone famous.

"£175 a night for a mid-level room, is that acceptable? Well, it's sailing very close to the wind, but this is July and we are in quite a desirable part of the country."

But after a quick stroll around the village, he headed back for a quick relax in his room before heading back down for a drink and some dinner, but that's when one thing shocked him.

Unlike the huge queues and packed Farmers Dog, The Royal Oak was much quieter. He added: "It didn't really get busy like Clarkson's pub, but Clarkson's pub isn't really a pub, more of a selfie location and a gift shop."

After tucking into his eggs Benedict breakfast, which was included in the price, he summarised: "Don't come here for a week on holiday or a honeymoon, but do stop in for a night definitely if you're on your way to the West Country or milling around Stonehenge. James did a great thing securing a community pub and they repaid him by making it really very good."