While Florence Pugh continues to shine on the red carpet, her father Clinton Pugh has been fighting a very different battle back home in Oxford — and he’s just called time on the last of his long-running businesses.
From Bustling Café Culture to Empty Tables
Clinton Pugh, 66, who has owned some of Oxford’s most beloved eateries for over 30 years, says controversial traffic changes in the city have wrecked his once-thriving trade.
His final café, Kazbar on Cowley Road, has now been sold — and he blames Oxford’s Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) schemes for the downfall.
Only months ago, he sold Café Coco, where a young Florence once worked during her teen years.
Another of his ventures, Café Tarifa, was repossessed last year. What once was a vibrant trio of businesses is now no more.
The Final Nail in the Coffin
Clinton didn’t hold back as he opened up about the financial pressures.
He says the introduction of LTNs, which restrict car traffic through residential areas to encourage walking and cycling, slashed his customer base and revenue dramatically.
Speaking to local media, he said, “Kazbar’s turnover dropped massively since the LTNs were introduced, and I’ve lost nearly £1 million in the past three years alone.”
He called the scheme “the final nail in the coffin.”
Even though the measures were designed with green goals in mind, Clinton argues they have made doing business in Oxford “untenable,” especially on Cowley Road — an area he spent decades helping to develop.
A Long History in Oxford’s Food Scene
For over 30 years, Clinton was a key figure in the Cowley Road community.
His cafés didn’t just serve food — they were part of the cultural fabric, frequented by locals, students, and even famous bands like Radiohead and Supergrass.
All four of his children — including Florence, Game of Thrones actor Toby Sebastian, voice coach Arabella Gibbins, and actress Rafaela Pugh — grew up helping out in his restaurants and attending local schools.
But despite that deep-rooted connection, Clinton says he was forced to accept financial help from Florence to pay staff during tough times.
It was a sign of just how bad things had gotten.
Controversy Over LTNs Heats Up
LTNs were introduced in Oxford in 2021, but they’ve sparked major backlash.
While intended to reduce pollution and make streets safer, the changes cut off key driving routes, which Clinton and other business owners say pushed customers away.
Some locals took their frustration to the streets — literally.
Bollards were knocked over or burned, planters vandalized, and signs graffitied. Clinton himself erected protest banners on his café, one reading:
“So much for democracy!”
He was later threatened with a £2,500 fine by the city council and responded with another sign saying “Censored!”
Political Debate Over the Scheme
The LTNs have become a hot political topic in Oxfordshire. Local Conservative leaders called the scheme a failed “experiment,” blaming the Liberal Democrat-Green alliance currently running the council for ramping up its implementation.
Councillor Eddie Reeves argued that residents feel ignored, while Liberal Democrat leader Liz Leffman defended the changes, saying many families appreciate the safer streets for walking and cycling.
She also noted that the LTNs were initially introduced by the Conservatives.
What’s Next for Clinton and Oxford?
As Clinton steps away from the restaurant scene, he leaves behind a legacy of entrepreneurship and creativity.
But he also exits with frustration over policies he believes pushed out small businesses like his.
Whether Oxford’s LTN policies stay or evolve remains to be seen — but for Clinton Pugh, the impact has already been deeply personal and financially painful.