US Vice-President JD Vance’s family vacation in the Cotswolds has triggered local turmoil—his dinner reservation at ‘The Bull, a Michelin-acclaimed’ pub, was cancelled after staff threatened not to work under the decision.
Vance’s family vacation with his wife, Usha Chilukuri, 39, and their three children caused a stir this week, as locals allege their lives have been ‘made hell’ by frequent police convoys and buzzing helicopters.
Jeremy Clarkson complained about the US politician’s week-long visit to the village of Dean, close to Charlbury in Oxfordshire, noting that the heightened security measures had interfered with the production of his programme. Clarkson lives and works in the same area where Vance stayed.
Clarkson owns Diddly Squat Farm in Chadlington, Oxfordshire, which is not far from Dean, the hamlet where Vance was renting an 18th-century manor.
In local and online chatter, Clarkson reportedly joked about how the heightened security measures for Vance’s stay interfered with the rhythm of life in the area, including his work schedule. His remarks added a celebrity dimension to the story and amplified local frustrations, making the controversy more newsworthy for both UK and US audiences.
It has now come to light that the trendy Bull pub, which hosted former US Democratic presidential Democrat candidate Kamala Harris just last month, was forced to cancel a booking made by Vance as employees would not serve him.
Reason JD Vance’s booking was cancelled.
Staff at The Bull in Charlbury, Oxfordshire refused to serve JD Vance on 14 August 2025. Management cancelled his dinner booking after employees threatened to walk out if he entered. Their objections cited his stance on immigration,…
— TranceStine (@trancestine) August 14, 2025
The rumour that ‘woke staff’ had declined to serve the right-wing Republican circulated throughout local communities earlier this week. This was then reported by the gossip site Popbitch yesterday evening and has since been picked up by publications globally, including Yahoo News and The Daily Beast.
An Unwelcome Stay in the Cotswolds
The pub has persistently refused to comment in response to press inquiries, neither confirming nor denying that they had cancelled the Vice President’s planned dinner. Richard Fairhurst, who manages the local Charlbury community blog, informed The Daily Mail: ‘It’s very widely believed locally [that staff refused to serve Vance] but The Bull is keeping schtum.’
Another local, Clare Shakya, said: ‘I am told by a reliable source that Bull staff did indeed object to JD Vance’s visit. And their regulars have been backing them for it.’
The showbiz blog Popbitch reported: ‘The mutinous staff all said they wouldn’t come to work if they had to serve Vance and his wife. Facing staff grumbles and a barrage of negative press attention, The Bull refused his patronage.’
However, a source close to JD Vance said: ‘The Bull was included as a potential option for lunch, but the family ultimately decided not to go. There was never any indication from the Bull that he or his family were not welcome.’
The pub offers private dining for up to 28 guests in the ‘secret garden room,’ and it is believed Vance had reserved this space to distance himself from protesters who were upset by his time in the Cotswolds.
A Web of High-Powered Connections
There are ties between the country manor where Vance has been staying all week and The Bull pub. The Bull is owned by The Bull Charlbury Limited, a company with three directors, one of whom is James Selwyn Gummer.
The country house where Vance has been staying all week, Dean Manor, was until recently owned by his father, the Tory peer Peter Selwyn Gummer, also known as Lord Chadlington of Dean. Lord Chadlington recently sold the manor to Pippa and Johnny Hornby, who are also friends of David and Samantha Cameron, and they rented the property to Vance.
The Social Media Storm
Following the news that Vance had been turned away from The Bull, the pub’s Facebook page was inundated with comments from people who both supported and criticised the decision. One said:’ Thank you for standing up against fascism, corruption and evil.’
Another added:’ Your staff have excellent values and stood up to a bully, an abominable excuse for a human being! We will visit and eat with you as soon as possible. Best wishes and treasure your staff.’
However, one American replied: ‘Glad we broke away from you [sic] worthless country. You are only relevant now because of the United States – you’d all be speaking German if it weren’t for us. ‘Our country became everything you Brits wanted to be; it took us far less time to do it.’
The Political Fixer
Meanwhile, it was revealed that the idea of The Bull as a dinner location may have been initially proposed to Vance by former Chancellor George Osborne. A report in The Financial Times states that George Osborne was tasked with planning a significant portion of the Vice President’s trip to the Cotswolds.
The job was given to him by his former boss, David Cameron, who was initially asked for advice on where to go but instead handed off the responsibility.
‘George did it all,’ one source informed the FT. Another source added: ‘David came up with a few ideas, but George did the rest.’ Vance and Osborne are friends; the latter revealed their transatlantic connection on his podcast, Political Currency, last year. ‘He’s a friend of mine,’ said Osborne. ‘He was an admirer of the Cameron government and what it had done.’
As Vance arrived at his rented farmhouse in the hamlet of Dean, he was met with signs telling him to ‘go home’ and ‘you are not welcome’. After his week-long visit, he has now departed for Scotland, although locals believe he will be back.
US Vice-President JD Vance’s family vacation in the Cotswolds has triggered local turmoil—his dinner reservation at ‘The Bull, a Michelin-acclaimed’ pub, was cancelled after staff threatened not to work under the decision.
Vance’s family vacation with his wife, Usha Chilukuri, 39, and their three children caused a stir this week, as locals allege their lives have been ‘made hell’ by frequent police convoys and buzzing helicopters.
Jeremy Clarkson complained about the US politician’s week-long visit to the village of Dean, close to Charlbury in Oxfordshire, noting that the heightened security measures had interfered with the production of his programme. Clarkson lives and works in the same area where Vance stayed.
Clarkson owns Diddly Squat Farm in Chadlington, Oxfordshire, which is not far from Dean, the hamlet where Vance was renting an 18th-century manor.
In local and online chatter, Clarkson reportedly joked about how the heightened security measures for Vance’s stay interfered with the rhythm of life in the area, including his work schedule. His remarks added a celebrity dimension to the story and amplified local frustrations, making the controversy more newsworthy for both UK and US audiences.
It has now come to light that the trendy Bull pub, which hosted former US Democratic presidential Democrat candidate Kamala Harris just last month, was forced to cancel a booking made by Vance as employees would not serve him.
Reason JD Vance’s booking was cancelled.
Staff at The Bull in Charlbury, Oxfordshire refused to serve JD Vance on 14 August 2025. Management cancelled his dinner booking after employees threatened to walk out if he entered. Their objections cited his stance on immigration,…
— TranceStine (@trancestine) August 14, 2025
The rumour that ‘woke staff’ had declined to serve the right-wing Republican circulated throughout local communities earlier this week. This was then reported by the gossip site Popbitch yesterday evening and has since been picked up by publications globally, including Yahoo News and The Daily Beast.
An Unwelcome Stay in the Cotswolds
The pub has persistently refused to comment in response to press inquiries, neither confirming nor denying that they had cancelled the Vice President’s planned dinner. Richard Fairhurst, who manages the local Charlbury community blog, informed The Daily Mail: ‘It’s very widely believed locally [that staff refused to serve Vance] but The Bull is keeping schtum.’
Another local, Clare Shakya, said: ‘I am told by a reliable source that Bull staff did indeed object to JD Vance’s visit. And their regulars have been backing them for it.’
The showbiz blog Popbitch reported: ‘The mutinous staff all said they wouldn’t come to work if they had to serve Vance and his wife. Facing staff grumbles and a barrage of negative press attention, The Bull refused his patronage.’
However, a source close to JD Vance said: ‘The Bull was included as a potential option for lunch, but the family ultimately decided not to go. There was never any indication from the Bull that he or his family were not welcome.’
The pub offers private dining for up to 28 guests in the ‘secret garden room,’ and it is believed Vance had reserved this space to distance himself from protesters who were upset by his time in the Cotswolds.
A Web of High-Powered Connections
There are ties between the country manor where Vance has been staying all week and The Bull pub. The Bull is owned by The Bull Charlbury Limited, a company with three directors, one of whom is James Selwyn Gummer.
The country house where Vance has been staying all week, Dean Manor, was until recently owned by his father, the Tory peer Peter Selwyn Gummer, also known as Lord Chadlington of Dean. Lord Chadlington recently sold the manor to Pippa and Johnny Hornby, who are also friends of David and Samantha Cameron, and they rented the property to Vance.
The Social Media Storm
Following the news that Vance had been turned away from The Bull, the pub’s Facebook page was inundated with comments from people who both supported and criticised the decision. One said:’ Thank you for standing up against fascism, corruption and evil.’
Another added:’ Your staff have excellent values and stood up to a bully, an abominable excuse for a human being! We will visit and eat with you as soon as possible. Best wishes and treasure your staff.’
However, one American replied: ‘Glad we broke away from you [sic] worthless country. You are only relevant now because of the United States – you’d all be speaking German if it weren’t for us. ‘Our country became everything you Brits wanted to be; it took us far less time to do it.’
The Political Fixer
Meanwhile, it was revealed that the idea of The Bull as a dinner location may have been initially proposed to Vance by former Chancellor George Osborne. A report in The Financial Times states that George Osborne was tasked with planning a significant portion of the Vice President’s trip to the Cotswolds.
The job was given to him by his former boss, David Cameron, who was initially asked for advice on where to go but instead handed off the responsibility.
‘George did it all,’ one source informed the FT. Another source added: ‘David came up with a few ideas, but George did the rest.’ Vance and Osborne are friends; the latter revealed their transatlantic connection on his podcast, Political Currency, last year. ‘He’s a friend of mine,’ said Osborne. ‘He was an admirer of the Cameron government and what it had done.’
As Vance arrived at his rented farmhouse in the hamlet of Dean, he was met with signs telling him to ‘go home’ and ‘you are not welcome’. After his week-long visit, he has now departed for Scotland, although locals believe he will be back.
