FIRST Dates star Merlin Griffiths offered some advice to Jeremy Clarkson ahead of his renovated £1 million Cotswolds pub opening.
The Clarkson’s Farm star, 64, has revealed more of his plans for the country boozer he bought for just under £1 million earlier this year.
Over the past few months, TV personality Jeremy has been working hard to get the neglected Cotswolds establishment ready to reopen.
Jeremy plans to give its newly acquired Cotswolds a fresh lease of life as he restores it to its former glory.
Fans got a glimpse inside Jeremy’s pub, which is located near Burford, Oxfordshire, earlier this year when he temporarily opened it up for the final of the Euros as England faced off against Spain.
However, it was closed again after the event.
Jeremey previously stated that The Windmill won’t officially open to the public until 2025, with the exception of a private wedding which is booked at the venue later this year.
But when it does, Jeremy has reportedly promised to give away free pints of his Hawkstone Lager on the premise, but only to farmers.
Jeremy also hopes The Windmill will be a cornerstone of the local communities as he envisions a “fun” and homely pub featuring bar billiards, darts, and a garden, as well as a place where he can enjoy a Sunday meal with his granddaughter.
He also hopes to incorporate bar games, while banning noisy TVs in the establishment.
To achieve this, the pub is undergoing a major renovation, including adding a second bar upstairs.
Merlin Griffiths, the bartender from Channel 4’s First Dates and pub landlord, has shared some advice with Jeremy as he begins his journey into pub ownership.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Merlin said: “They’re [bars] as simple, or as complicated as you need them to be.
“I would imagine an owner operator such as Mr Clarkson would no doubt be hiring capable management as well who deal with all the sort of day to day stuff, day-to-day all your compliance and health and safety and bits and bobs like that. You know, all the Business Administration aspects of it.
“So once you take that complicated part out of the way, then they’re as simple as you want them to be, or as complicated as you want them to be.
Fred Sirieix
Fred is the charismatic French maître d’hôtel who hosts First Dates. He has a rich background in the hospitality industry, with over 30 years of experience. Fred has been part of the reality show since 2015 and his charming personality helps to put punters going on the dates at ease.
Merlin Griffiths
Merlin is the bartender on First Dates. His friendly presence and expert mixology skills contribute to the show’s warm atmosphere. Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Merlin was in the bar industry for over two decades before offering his services to the Channel 4 series. Outside of First Dates, Merlin also owns and operates his own bar.
Cici Coleman
Cici is the show’s outgoing waitress. She trained as an actress before joining the cast of First Dates, which lends theatrical flair to her role. Her ability to make guests feel at ease, coupled with her genuine interest in their stories, has endeared her to viewers. Outside of her work on First Dates, Cici continues to pursue her passion for acting and fitness, often sharing insights into her life and career on social media.
“Do you want to run a menu with 35 items on it? Do you want to run 25 different ales? What about 100 whiskeys and so on. Then you can run a complicated bar.
“Or do you just want to serve two or three local ales, one or two lagers, one house white, one house red. that sort of thing and you can keep it nice and simple and keep the quality high.
“It’s completely up to you. So I don’t know what he’s expecting from it, but I think what you can expect is that it should match the owner and operator’s vision and dream. Stay true to what you want it to be.”
Talking about the pub he transformed, the Dog and Gun in Walton, he said: “We’ve got a patio being built at the moment. [But] we’re there, we’re up and running, and it’s been well received, and it’s nice and busy, which is great.
“I’m back to doing what I know and love, as well as First Dates, which is being a country pub landlord.”
Jeremy previously opened up about his desire to own a bar.
He said: “I dreamt as many men have dreamt in the past, of chatting with the regulars about nothing of any consequence and then having a Sunday roast with my family at my own table.”
He wants his bar to have “dogs and families around the fire,” while serving all-British ingredients on the menu – with a ban on fruit machines and “confusing” toilet signs.
“Fun is in short supply, and fun is what I want to put back. There will be bar billiards, there will be darts. And in the corner, there will be a table with my name on it.
“A place where I can go on a Sunday with my granddaughter for some gammon, egg and chips.”
Merlin returns to our TV screens tonight in a new series of First Dates at 10pm on Channel 4.
