James May faces major competition in the pubs – and it’s not from Jeremy Clarkson | Celebrity News | Showbiz and TV

James May and Jeremy Clarkson have made no secret of their rivalry, which extends from The Grand Tour headliners to bar and drinks brand rivals.

But with James Royal Oak The latter in Wiltshire and Jeremy’s Farmer’s Dog in the Cotswolds will not be a direct rival to James when it comes to his pubs. There are two major players who could threaten to steal your crown – one a big name and the other a hidden gem.

Royal Oak is located in the picturesque village of Swallowcliffe, and the only other public building in its vicinity is the local church – but the equally idyllic rural village of Hindon is just 15 minutes’ drive away. Officially branded as a region of outstanding natural beauty, the area is so remote and free from light pollution that the nearest train station has been designated a Dark Sky zone, where constellations can be seen with the naked eye.

Lamb There’s a historic 12th-century coaching inn here, with cozy, comfortable bedrooms, legendary Sunday roasts under wood-beamed ceilings and by crackling log fires ready to steal the James glow. Both venues share similar theme and location type; So which one should readers choose?

James’s bar is great for sampling one of their famous gins, with drinks ranging from 40 to 57 percent by volume. Its new mysterious flavor has been launched as a mushroom and patchouli-accented drink called California Dreamgin’ because it was inspired by the US state’s “hippie movement”.

Their gin is among a huge list of drinks available at its bar; including wines like the red Riebeek Cellars Shiraz, which the menu jokes might not be in stock due to James “buying a few cases for his own personal booze.”

However, The Lamb should not be underestimated in comparison, as it offers everything from authentic beers to a cocktail menu that can be enjoyed on the garden terrace.

What really sets it apart from other pubs, meanwhile, is its reputation for producing dry-aged steaks from only the finest local meats.

Each one is aged to perfection in the venue’s in-house dryer for at least 35 days to achieve the final tender, meaty flavour.

There’s also a range of desserts with interesting and surprising accents, including sticky toffee pudding that comes with honeycomb ice cream.

For cozy, Christmas comfort food, it won’t disappoint, and with 18 characterful bedrooms – three times more than the Royal Oak’s six – diners are more likely to book an overnight stay.

Despite being legendary pubs, there’s no need for guests to choose one over the other as they’re only a 15-minute drive away. PigAnother great rival, a little further, takes an hour in the car – and is well worth the drive.

It’s located in the middle of the New Forest, where ponies trot carelessly down the high street and autumn leaves swirl atmospherically in the sky on cool November days.

Jeremy has to compete with The Pig’s Cotswolds ground, while James has the original first Pig’s Brockenhurst ground to race in his corner.

Featuring a walled garden where herbs and vegetables are grown on site and added to diners’ plates just hours after being picked, it’s a tough competition indeed.

There’s a type of pepper that’s too spicy to serve for safety reasons — and its seeds are so fiery they can even burn your skin — but avid gardeners still grow it on site for creative reasons.

With an “obsessive devotion” to growing their own food or sourcing it from an area within a 25-mile radius of the hotel, diners are guaranteed everything on their plates is extra fresh.

In fact, The Pig is so famous for its food that, despite having 32 bedrooms, it still considers itself a “restaurant with rooms” and not a hotel.

A map on the menu details exactly where each item is sourced, from chalk stream trout just 12 miles away, to drinks from Vibrant Forest Brewery and Winchester Distillery (six and 39 miles away respectively).

The hotel is also home to sheep, goats, chickens and, of course, the occasional pig.

They also contribute to the products in the field with natural goat milk soaps obtained from the herd, which do not contain any artificial or synthetic additives and are proudly displayed in bathrooms.

There’s no doubt that The Pig and The Lamb are both big rivals for James, but the gin brand’s seven million social media followers will also rate its drinks as a must-have.