🏠 Chipping Norton, the charming Cotswolds town, is seeing a surge in ‘For Sale’ signs! Locals are calling it the ‘Jeremy Clarkson effect’, as the popularity of Clarkson’s Farm is blamed for the mass exodus.
🎥 Since the Amazon series landed, Chipping Norton has become a bustling tourist hotspot. With fans flocking to visit Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm and his pub, The Farmer’s Dog, traffic jams and crowded streets are now part of daily life for this once-quiet village.
🏡 Estate agents report a doubling of homes on the market. Many are priced out by wealthy Londoners snapping up cosy cottages at inflated prices, eyeing them for holiday lets.
🚸 Schools and local infrastructure are another pain point. Amidst a lack of quality schools and essential services like ambulance and police stations, families are moving to areas with better amenities.
🔑 Nathan Hunt, a local locksmith, notes a boom in holiday rentals, great for his business but tricky for long-time residents. “We used to enjoy a close-knit community. Now it’s all tourists clogging the roads,” he says.
🔄 Meanwhile, removal specialists are busier than ever, attributing this to people leaving due to the chaos brought on by the influx of visitors.
💡 For some, the charm of Chipping Norton remains. But for others seeking peace and familiarity, the lure of quieter towns without the buzz of celebrity has become irresistible.
🗣️ What do you think? Would you stick it out in a celeb-filled tourist hub? Or are you packing your bags for calmer pastures? Let us know in the comments! 📢✨