James May’s pub wins UK award before Jeremy Clarkson’s

The pair presented BBC’s Top Gear and The Grand Tour on Prime Video alongside Richard Hammond for 22 years.

After calling time on their adventures with one last trip to Zimbabwe and Botswana, the trio are now pursuing their own projects.

Mr May has been a co-owner of The Royal Oak in Swallowcliffe, Wiltshire, for several years, but Mr Clarkson recently joined his former co-star in the trade.

READ MORE: UK supermarket giant issues customer notice on Jeremy Clarkson beer

Purchasing The Windmill in Asthall near Burford for around £1m, the 66-year-old has his own pub to run, renamed The Farmer’s Dog and opened to the public in 2024.

There has been much talk about the pair banning one another from the pubs after Mr May’s name appeared on a barred list at the Cotswolds watering hole.

Now, the 63-year-old’s pub has been handed a first award, which has come before any gong for The Farmer’s Dog.

The Royal Oak in Swallowcliffe has been named Best Local Pub in Wiltshire at the 2026 Muddy Stilettos Awards, which celebrate outstanding independent businesses across the counties.

READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson gives away his England World Cup tickets to two fans

Co-owned by the former Top Gear presenter, the pub was saved by May during the pandemic to preserve a vital community hub and avoid losing the last pub within walking distance of his home.

The Royal Oak has since proved the perfect testing ground for his hugely successful gin, James Gin.

Tucked away in the quiet Wiltshire village of Swallowcliffe, in the Nadder Valley, The Royal Oak is a Grade II-listed 18th-century building that has been an inn since 1852.

The pub is nestled in a little dell, just off the A303. 

Since its renovation in 2015, the pub has built a reputation for high-quality food, superior rooms and a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.