The assets acquired from Lewis Business Media will sit alongside Farmers Weekly in MA Agriculture Limited, based in Sutton, one of eight operating companies in Mark Allen. The brands will add appreciably to the group’s farming interests, providing greater specialist depth in the pig, poultry, arable and contractor markets, areas which already feature more broadly in Mark Allen’s market-leading farming publication, Farmers Weekly. 

Ben Allen, the CEO of Mark Allen, said: “This is a fantastic acquisition for us. It extends the reach
of Farmers Weekly, providing extensive opportunities, synergies and cover. Despite challenges in
the market, the Lewis farming assets have performed very strongly, demonstrating the strength of
these brands. They will make a tremendous addition to Farmers Weekly. It has been a very smooth
and collaborative transaction, and I have particularly enjoyed working with Simon on this deal, who
shares the same values in running a family business which we ascribe to.”

Simon Lewis said: “We are delighted to have concluded this agreement with the Mark Allen Group.
We have very much enjoyed publishing in these markets and would like to thank all those who
worked with us over the period, a number of whom have become good friends. We do not think that
there could be a better fit for this group of brands than the Mark Allen stable and look forward to
watching them flourish in their new environment. Our experience of everyone we have dealt with at
the Mark Allen Group during this process, especially Mark and Ben, has been nothing but positive,
and we wish them well in the future’.