Chris Reynolds and Louise Marshall, both former London professionals, now run a vineyard and glamping business in Wiltshire after leaving their corporate careers. The couple, who met on the Deloitte trainee scheme in 2012, purchased a 10-acre smallholding in Porton, a village six miles northeast of Salisbury, for £1.4 million in 2023. They have planted nearly 4,000 vines across 2.5 acres and opened three woodland glamping pods, with stays starting at £149 per night.
From Battersea to Porton: A Lifestyle Shift
Chris, 38, worked as a management consultant and associate director at Deloitte, focusing on corporate strategy. He described his London career as involving "a lot of business strategy operations, powerpoints and spreadsheets, shirts and ties." Louise earned an MBE for her climate legislation work on the 2021 UN COP26 conference. Despite their success, they felt the realities of London life were taking a toll, and they did not want to raise a family in an urban environment.
Chris said they "started to feel as though you know our passion for that lifestyle was waning" and wanted to "take back a little bit more control over our own lives." The breaking point came during the pandemic, when both were working longer hours than ever and felt drained. A short trip to a glamping pod in East Sussex prompted a decisive conversation.
Finding the Perfect Location and Funding the Dream
Chris recalled the moment: "Work got in the way and Louise didn't arrive until later that evening. We just sat and we had a glass of wine in the middle of the night outside, amongst the birds and nature and we said, 'Look, what are we doing with our lives? Let's do something slightly different.'" They resolved to "start up our own business, plant a vineyard and start a glamping business. So that's what we've done."
Finding the right location took two years, as a successful vineyard requires specific conditions like a south-facing slope and low altitude. When they viewed the estate in Porton in 2023, Chris said "we knew it was absolutely perfect." They sold their London flat, bought in 2015 and paid off over eight years, to fund a large chunk of the purchase. The property came with resident ducks, chickens, geese, and five alpacas.
Building Liba Vineyard and Glamping Business
They named their venture Liba Vineyard (Life is about Balance). Using savings and financial help from their parents, they invested £75,000 into planting vines and another £250,000 into building three woodland glamping pods. Securing planning permission took a stressful 18 months. The cabins feature private wood-fired hot tubs, fire pits, full kitchens, and rain showers. The site opened a year ago and is now busy most days.
The couple run the site entirely organically, without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilisers. They hope to produce up to 10,000 bottles of white, red, rosé, and sparkling wine each year by 2028. Chris admitted they didn't know much about winemaking before the move but taught themselves through training at Plumpton College's wine school, volunteering at vineyards, and reading books and watching YouTube videos. He said, "I don't come from a farming background. I don't come from a wine making background... It was a bit of an odd choice really, but it's working out well."
Challenges and Future Plans
Running the business demands constant problem solving. A severe late frost recently forced the couple to light fires in the vineyard at night to protect the fragile vines. They are planning to open a farm shop and café, and hope to hire out barns for small businesses and weddings. The couple accept that the business will not turn a true profit for a couple of years, but they are thrilled with their decision.
Chris said: "100% we are living the dream. I would say we are working harder than we've ever worked before, so it's not so much the kind of simple easy life, but it's a full shift in lifestyle and overall absolutely no regrets."
