Jeremy Clarkson's local council has launched an investigation into his new restaurant after he found a ''delightful little loophole'' to open it.
The restaurant, which opened on Mr Clarkson's Diddly Squat farm in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, in July, has been hampered by opposition from local residents and councillors.
But the former Top Gear presenter announced he had found a "delightful little loophole" in planning laws and opened for business last month.
Now, West Oxfordshire District Council say they are investigating the restaurant after councillors rejected its initial planning application in January.
Seven out of 10 members of the authority's uplands area planning sub-committee had voted against the initial restaurant proposals.
Councillors supported the planners’ recommendation to refuse permission on the grounds the restaurant would be “out of keeping” with the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Tweeting the news, in July, Mr Clarkson said:
I’m thrilled to announce that you now have a chance to try the amazing food we grow and rear on my farm at the brand new (but quite rustic) Diddly Squat Restaurant. You can’t just turn up I’m afraid, but you can make a booking by following the link https://t.co/xZOWAjqkxq
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) July 8, 2022
He later said he had found a ''delightful little loophole'' in the process.
The exact nature of the loophole that Mr Clarkson claims to have used is unclear.
A council spokesman said: "The council was made aware of the restaurant opening at Diddly Squat Farm.
"As part of our standard operating procedure, we have been looking into the operation to ensure it is compliant with local and national planning law and policies, as well as licensing and food hygiene regulations.
"We cannot comment on any ongoing investigations."
Mr Clarkson had also wanted to build a new 70-space car park on the site in addition to his existing farm shop.
He argued that he and other local farmers felt that it would help bring more tourism to the area.
Local residents, however, submitted several complaints to the council following huge amounts of traffic on country roads, as people attempted to visit the farm and its shop.
Items on the restaurant menu are all locally sourced, featuring snacks like sticky beef croquettes with aioli and pickled chilli, and mains such as roasted topside of beef with vegetables.
On the restaurant's website, it says: "Before making your booking, you should know it's small, mostly outdoors and very rustic.
"Ordering a beer or going to the lavatory isn't as easy as in your local pub and we don't cater to the faddy.
"We've done our best to keep you warm and dry, but this is England.
"On the upside, the view is enormous and almost everything you eat was grown or reared on our farm, so it's fresh with minimal food miles."
