Country & Town House

Country & Town House is a British luxury lifestyle magazine and media brand covering interiors, travel, food, country life, beauty, culture and property. Founded in 2007, it is an independent media company based in London, published in print and online at countryandtownhouse.com. Under the mantra of "a life in balance", the magazine blends luxury coverage with a strong commitment to sustainability: in 2023 it became the first glossy magazine in the world to achieve B Corp certification. It was voted the PPA Independent Publishing Company of the Year in 2022 and runs its own awards programmes, including the Country & Town House Sustainability Awards and the Future Icons Awards.

Founding and independence

Country & Town House was launched in 2007 by Jeremy Isaac, a media entrepreneur with more than 30 years in the industry. Isaac had founded Metropolis Publishing in 2001 and sold it in 2006 before launching Country & Town House the following year. The company remains independent: its ownership is split between Venrex LLP with a 31 percent beneficial holding, several independent investors owning 40 percent, and the company's employees, who own 29 percent. Isaac serves as co-founder and managing director. That independence has allowed the brand to pursue its distinctive editorial direction, combining luxury lifestyle coverage with values-led journalism, without the constraints of a large publishing group.

Lucy Cleland and the editorial vision

Lucy Cleland is the co-founder and editorial director of Country & Town House and the driving force behind its editorial identity. She has led the brand's transition to a values-led platform, guided by the magazine's mantra of "a life in balance", a principle she applies across everything the title covers. Cleland advocates a "buy less, buy better" philosophy, educating readers about where products come from and where they end up, while profiling people making radical positive impacts and filling the pages with joy, fun and inspiration. She wants the magazine to be a place readers come away from feeling better, feeling thoughtful and ready for action. Cleland sits on the media advisory board of the British Beauty Council and is a prominent advocate for sustainability in publishing.

The world's first B Corp glossy

Country & Town House's defining distinction is its sustainability credentials. The company committed to becoming a B Corp in 2023, and in doing so became the first glossy magazine in the world to achieve B Corp certification. B Corp certification measures a company's social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency, and the magazine's achievement was recognised as trailblazing within the industry. The certification formalised a shift that had been underway for years: bringing sustainability and luxury into the same space, and arguing that true luxury and responsible consumption are compatible. The magazine's sustainability coverage and its own business practices are held to the standards the certification demands.

Interiors, property and country life

Interiors and country life sit at the heart of the magazine's content. Country & Town House covers decorating, design and architecture for both country houses and town homes, alongside property features and gardens. Its country coverage embraces rural pursuits, the countryside calendar and the pleasures of life outside the city, while its town coverage reflects the metropolitan side of its readership. The brand also publishes Great British Brands, a showcase of the UK's luxury goods industry edited by Lucia van der Post, one of the country's most respected luxury commentators, connecting the magazine to the makers and heritage brands behind British luxury.

Travel, food and drink

Travel is a major pillar of the Country & Town House offering, with features spanning luxury hotels, destination guides, weekend itineraries and sustainable travel. The magazine's travel journalism covers the UK and the wider world, from rising seaside stars such as Folkestone in Kent to European city breaks and long-haul escapes, always with an eye on responsible and regenerative travel. Food and drink coverage includes restaurant reviews, chef profiles, wine and spirits features, from champagne houses to Scotch whisky distilleries, and explorations of the people and craft behind what readers eat and drink.

Culture, beauty and style

The magazine's culture pages cover books, art, theatre, film and ideas, with a dedicated books editor, Richard Hopton, who has held the post since 2017 and previously profiled prominent figures in the British luxury goods industry for the magazine since its inception. Beauty coverage, led by beauty director Nathalie Eleni, spans skincare, make-up and sustainable beauty, reflecting the title's values-led approach to the beauty industry. Fashion and style content champions conscious consumption, with the magazine's writers exploring questions of provenance and sustainability in what readers wear.

Awards and events

Country & Town House runs its own awards programmes celebrating the values it champions. The Country & Town House Sustainability Awards recognise businesses and individuals leading on sustainability across categories spanning fashion, beauty, travel, food and interiors, with winners announced at an annual ceremony. The Future Icons Awards celebrate innovators and changemakers, with judging panels drawn from across the sustainability, luxury and creative industries. These awards, together with the magazine's events, extend the brand beyond the printed page and reinforce its role as a convenor of the sustainable luxury community. Judging panels bring together founders, investors, journalists and creatives, and the awards have become fixtures in the calendars of purpose-driven brands. By celebrating businesses that combine commercial success with environmental and social responsibility, the programmes give practical expression to the editorial philosophy Cleland has championed since the magazine's early years.

Digital presence

Alongside the print magazine, Country & Town House operates a substantial digital platform at countryandtownhouse.com, publishing daily content across its core sections of interiors, travel, food and drink, style, beauty, culture and country life. The website carries long-form features, guides, interviews and news, supported by newsletters and a strong social media presence. Digital subscriptions and membership options give readers access to enhanced content, while the site's commercial content and partnerships reflect the brand's positioning at the intersection of luxury and sustainability. The digital operation has grown into a significant media business in its own right.

Industry recognition

The magazine's achievements have been recognised within the publishing industry. Country & Town House was voted the PPA Independent Publishing Company of the Year in 2022, an award from the Professional Publishers Association honouring the UK's leading independent publisher. The B Corp certification added an international distinction, positioning the title as a pioneer among glossy magazines worldwide. Together, these honours reflect a brand that has managed to grow an independent luxury media business while holding itself to demanding standards of social and environmental responsibility.

A distinctive voice in luxury media

In a crowded luxury lifestyle market, Country & Town House has carved out a distinctive position: a glossy magazine that takes both pleasure and principle seriously. Its blend of interiors, travel, food, culture and country life, delivered under the "life in balance" philosophy and backed by B Corp certification, gives it an identity quite unlike its competitors. From its London base, the independent company continues to publish across print and digital, championing the idea that luxury can be a force for good. For readers who want the polish of a glossy magazine with the conscience of a campaign, Country & Town House remains the defining title.