Popular pubs leave locals thinking of moving away

The social media popularity of two pubs has left residents of an Oxfordshire village considering moving away due to parking issues.

The Double Red Duke and Mason's Arms in Clanfield, Oxfordshire, have proved popular with social media influencers and celebrities since they were taken over by new owners in 2021.

But villagers say the popularity of the pubs has led to parking around the village deteriorating to the point that they are now looking to move away.

The owner of the pubs, Country Creatures, declined a BBC request to comment, but Oxfordshire County Council said it had deployed enforcement officers in response to complaints raised by Clanfield Parish Council.

Chris Bridgewater, who lives in the village, said her street was now "wall to wall cars really".

"Nobody can get through," she said.

"We bought a bungalow and loved the village - we thought it would be our forever home."

"But we are now thinking of moving again - it's just got ridiculous."

Giles Horton, chair of the Clanfield Parish Council, said those running the pubs were "trying to be as cooperative as they can be" around the parking issues.

"They do try and ask their punters to park in the right sort of places, but people are people - they'll park wherever they can," he said.

"I wish I could come up with a solution, being a parish councillor, but it's tough."

Oxfordshire County Council said in a statement that its parking enforcement teams had met with parish councillors to "discuss the issue".

"Enforcement officers have visited the village intermittently but did not find vehicles parked in contravention of the local restrictions," the authority said.

"Our contractor should be visiting more often, although it must be appreciated that we only have a certain number of enforcement officers for the whole county."

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