15 minutes with...Joe Evans and Eliza Ecclestone

In this edition of 15 Minutes With, CLA Deputy President Joe Evans and Vice President Eliza Ecclestone tackle one of the most challenging questions facing rural Britain: what does it really mean to be a landowner today?

Joe and Eliza explore the disconnect between public perception and the reality of modern land ownership, discussing why the term "landowner" itself might be a barrier to understanding the vital role rural estates play in the economy and wider society. From managing diverse enterprises to making long-term decisions for the countryside, they share candid insights about the misconceptions, the politics of envy, and the challenge of reaching both rural communities and urban audiences with their story.

This honest conversation reveals the entrepreneurial spirit, hard work, and low returns that characterize multi-generational land ownership—and why finding new ways to communicate this reality has never been more urgent.

About the Guests:

Joe Evans, CLA Deputy President, manages his family's diversified estate in Herefordshire. Whitbourne Estate is home to an organic livestock farming enterprise, an events venue, forestry, and a care farm.

Eliza Ecclestone, CLA Vice President, is managing trustee at St Clere Estate, a diversified estate with farming, forestry, festivals, and filming among other activities. She is also Chair of Trustees at Chevening Estate, the grace and favour home of the Foreign Secretary.

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