From the Anglotopia Podcast: Episode 22

Welcome back to the Anglotopia Podcast for what might be the most important episode in our 17-year history. This is a special podcast—we know we’ve been promising episodes with guests (and they’re coming next week, we promise!), but this is the last of our special announcements. There’s a very good reason we didn’t release a podcast last week: we’ve been working on the biggest thing Anglotopia has ever done.

The too-long-didn’t-read version: We’ve launched the Friends of Anglotopia Club.

But this announcement deserves more than a quick summary. It represents a fundamental change that we hope will usher in a new era for Anglotopia. More than that, it’s an opportunity to tell the story of where Anglotopia came from, how we got here, and where we’re going.

So pour yourself a cup of tea (we’re drinking Cornish Smuggler’s Tea this afternoon—perfect for a post-lunch pick-me-up), get comfortable, and let’s talk about the past, present, and future of Anglotopia.

What Is the Friends of Anglotopia Club?

Let’s start with what we’re announcing. The Friends of Anglotopia Club is essentially like Patreon or Substack, except we’re running it ourselves. This is crucial: we’re not using Patreon or any third-party platform for very specific reasons.

Why We’re Doing It Ourselves:

When you give control of your business to someone like Patreon, you’re giving them control over your destiny. That makes us deeply uncomfortable. We’ve been burned by platforms before—Google, Facebook, and others have changed algorithms, moved goalposts, and altered the rules in ways that hurt small creators like us. We don’t want to put anyone else in the middle between us and our community.

When you interact with Anglotopia—whether it’s on social media, the website, or now the Friends of Anglotopia Club—you’re interacting directly with us. There’s nobody in the middle. That’s how we want to keep it.

What You Get as a Member:

The Friends of Anglotopia Club is a paid membership where you pay a monthly or yearly fee. Here’s what you receive:

The Sunday Post: The main feature is an exclusive article released every Sunday, available only to Friends of Anglotopia members. These aren’t just any articles—they’re special essays we’ve written about topics related to British travel, history, or culture that we’ve spent considerable time crafting. Think of it as brewing a cup of tea and settling in for a thoughtful, positive reading experience.

We’ve spent months queuing up these articles, so there’s plenty of exclusive content ready to go. Each Sunday Post is designed to be something special—deeper, more thoughtful, and more polished than our regular daily articles.

Long-Form Commissioned Writing: Once we reach certain subscription targets, we’ll commission long-form writing about Britain from the various talented writers we’ve worked with over the years. There still aren’t many places celebrating great writing about British culture, history, and travel. Online newspapers might cover British topics, but they do it as an afterthought. We’re dedicated to it, and this club allows us to go deeper than we’ve ever gone before.

Exclusive Member Perks:

• 20% discount in the Anglotopia store (that Union Jack light box? Now more affordable for members!)
• Early access to podcasts
• A private chat room where members can discuss British topics in a safe, closed community (not Discord—something simpler and more user-friendly)
• Discounts from British partners we’re working with
• First access to content that will eventually appear on the main site

Important Note: Anglotopia Remains Free

This is crucial to understand: Anglotopia and Londontopia will always be free. There is no paywall to access the sites. They remain completely free. The Friends of Anglotopia Club is something additional—something extra for people who want to support what we do and get exclusive benefits.

Everything we create for club members (except the discounts) will eventually be released on Anglotopia. Members are essentially getting content first—about a month before it goes public. You’re supporting the creation of better content while getting early access to it.

The Main Goal: Removing Google Ads

If we can reach 300 paid members, we can remove Google Ads from Anglotopia and eventually Londontopia. This is huge. Let’s talk about why.

The Google Ads Problem:

Since we founded the website in 2007, we’ve had Google Ads. For years, that’s how you monetized a website—it was the only real option. Anglotopia was Jonathan’s full-time job for many years, and it still represents a significant portion of our family’s income. Google Ads made it possible to do this work.

But the relationship with Google has become increasingly problematic. Here’s what’s happened over the years:

The Revenue Collapse: When we started, you could make decent money from ads. Google would pay you based on how many people visited your site and clicked on ads. The rates were reasonable, and it worked as a business model.

Over the years, Google has systematically reduced what they pay publishers. The rates have dropped precipitously. Meanwhile, they’ve made billions—literally billions—from the content creators like us produce. They take the lion’s share of ad revenue while giving creators an ever-shrinking slice.

The User Experience Problem: Google Ads have become increasingly intrusive. They slow down page loading. They pop up and cover content. They auto-play videos. They track users across the internet. They create a genuinely bad reading experience.

We hate it. We know our readers hate it. But without ad revenue, we couldn’t sustain the site.

The Long-Term Decline: As Google has reduced payments to publishers, it’s become clear that relying on Google Ads is not a sustainable long-term business model. The company that makes billions from ads has systematically squeezed the creators whose content makes those ads possible.

The Solution: If we can get 300 Friends of Anglotopia members, we can say goodbye to Google Ads. We can remove them completely. The reading experience on Anglotopia will improve dramatically for everyone—not just members. Pages will load faster. There won’t be pop-ups. No auto-playing videos. No tracking across the internet.

It will be better for everyone. Members get exclusive content and perks. Everyone gets a better reading experience. And we break free from dependence on a company that has repeatedly changed the rules to our detriment.

Where Did Anglotopia Come From? The Origin Story

To understand why this Friends of Anglotopia Club matters so much, you need to understand where Anglotopia came from and the journey we’ve been on for 17 years.

The Beginning: 2007

Anglotopia launched in 2007. To put that in perspective: there were no apps yet (we had just gotten the first iPhone—Jackie stood in line for eight hours to get it), Facebook was still mostly for college students, Twitter had just launched, YouTube was two years old, and the iPhone had literally just been released.

The internet was a very different place. Blogs were the dominant form of online content. Social media as we know it didn’t really exist yet. The idea that you could build a business around a niche interest like British culture seemed almost crazy.

Jonathan’s Background:

Jonathan had been interested in British culture since high school. His family would get British mystery shows from a video rental store, and he fell in love with them—the landscapes, the accents, the culture. It was different, exotic, and fascinating.

When he got to college, he didn’t have a car, so he couldn’t rent those videos anymore. He started searching online for communities of people who shared his interest in British things. And he couldn’t find any.

There were Anglophile groups on Yahoo Groups and message boards, but nothing comprehensive. There was no central resource celebrating British culture from an American perspective. It seemed like a gap that needed to be filled.

The First Trip:

In 2004, Jonathan and Jackie took their first trip to Britain together. It was transformative. Jonathan already loved British culture from afar, but experiencing it in person—walking through London, exploring the countryside, visiting castles and historic sites—cemented that passion.

More importantly, it showed him that other Americans would love Britain too if they understood it better, if they had resources and guides, if there was a community celebrating what makes Britain special.

Starting the Website:

In 2007, working a regular job but passionate about British culture, Jonathan started Anglotopia. It began as a blog—just a simple website sharing information about British travel, culture, and history. The goal was to create the resource he wished had existed when he first became interested in Britain.

The name “Anglotopia” perfectly captured the concept: a utopia for Anglophiles. A place where people who loved British culture could gather, learn, and share their passion.

Early Days:

Those early years were about figuring out what worked. What did readers want? What kind of content resonated? How could the site be useful to people planning trips to Britain?

Google Ads provided revenue—enough to justify spending time on the site, though not enough to quit the day job. But slowly, the audience grew. People discovered Anglotopia, found it useful, and kept coming back.

Going Full-Time:

Eventually, Anglotopia grew enough that Jonathan could quit his regular job and do it full-time. This was the dream—being able to focus entirely on celebrating British culture, helping people plan trips, creating content that mattered to the community.

For years, this worked. The site grew. The audience expanded. Google Ads provided sufficient revenue. It felt sustainable.

The Pivots:

But over 17 years, the business has had to pivot multiple times:

The T-Shirt Business (Anglotease): For several years, we ran a British-themed t-shirt business called Anglotease. It was a primary revenue source for a while—a boom period where people loved the designs and bought them enthusiastically.

Then it busted. T-shirt trends are fickle. What was hot became less so. Facebook changed its algorithm and cut our reach dramatically, making it harder to reach customers. That revenue stream dried up.

The Imports Business: We started importing British products that weren’t readily available in the US. For years, this was really successful. We found unique products—like Cornish Tea, which we’re still the only US source for—and built relationships with British suppliers.

This has tailed off recently. Importing is complicated, especially post-Brexit. Global logistics have become more challenging. And frankly, Amazon now sells most British products, making it harder to compete unless you’re offering something truly unique.

We still import some things (like that Cornish Tea), and we might expand again if we find the right products. But it’s not the primary revenue source it once was.

Books: We’ve published numerous books—travel guides, cultural explorations, memoirs. These create value and revenue, though book publishing is its own challenge.

The Magazine: We ran Anglotopia Magazine for several years, producing high-quality print publications. The magazine was beautiful but ultimately unsustainable as a business model.

Each pivot taught us something. Each adapted to changing conditions. But the fundamental challenge remained: how do you sustain a niche content business when the platforms that control traffic and advertising revenue keep changing the rules?

Why Now? Why the Friends of Anglotopia Club?

After 17 years, we’re at an inflection point. The old models aren’t working as well as they used to. Google Ads revenue continues to decline. Social media platforms control access to our audience. The internet has changed dramatically from 2007.

But here’s what hasn’t changed: there are still people who love British culture. There are still Americans (and others around the world) who want to learn about Britain, plan trips, understand the history and traditions, and connect with like-minded people.

The audience exists. The need exists. What we need is a sustainable business model that doesn’t depend on platforms that can change the rules overnight.

The Creator Economy:

The rise of Patreon, Substack, and similar platforms has shown that people will pay to support creators they value. The creator economy—where fans directly support the work they care about—has become a viable model.

But we didn’t want to give control to another platform. We’ve been burned too many times by platforms changing terms, taking bigger cuts, or simply not understanding our niche.

So we built our own. The Friends of Anglotopia Club is our platform, our rules, our direct relationship with our community.

What This Enables:

With 300 members, we can remove ads and improve everyone’s experience. But beyond that, membership enables us to create better content. We can:

• Commission long-form writing from talented writers
• Invest more time in research and quality
• Create multimedia content
• Build community features
• Expand to new formats and topics
• Plan for the long-term without worrying about algorithm changes

It’s not just about replacing ad revenue—it’s about building something better, more sustainable, and more aligned with what our community actually wants.

The Vision: A Positive Corner of the Internet

From day one, Anglotopia has been a positive space. We’re not toxically positive—we acknowledge problems and challenges—but we fundamentally celebrate British history, culture, and travel from an American perspective.

In an internet that can be toxic, negative, and exhausting, we want Anglotopia to be a respite. A place where people can enjoy something they love without the snark, cynicism, and anger that dominates so much online discourse.

This hasn’t changed in 17 years, and it won’t change now. The Friends of Anglotopia Club extends that vision: a private space where members can discuss British topics in a safe, positive environment. Where conversations are thoughtful rather than combative. Where people share enthusiasm rather than tear things down.

The Personal Side: Why This Matters to Us

This isn’t just a business announcement. It’s personal.

We started Anglotopia because of a genuine passion for British culture. That passion has only deepened over nearly two decades. We’ve traveled to Britain more times than we can count. We’ve written millions of words about it. We’ve helped thousands of people plan trips and discover Britain for themselves.

Anglotopia has become our life’s work. It’s not just what we do—it’s who we are. Mr. and Mrs. Anglotopia isn’t just a cute title; it’s how we identify.

The Fear:

Launching the Friends of Anglotopia Club was scary. Jonathan was afraid for months before actually pulling the trigger. What if we build it and nobody comes? What if the community doesn’t want this? What if we’ve misread what people value?

For 17 years, we’ve built this audience, this community, this resource. Changing the business model—asking people to pay directly rather than relying on ad revenue—felt like a risk. Would people understand? Would they support it?

The Validation:

When we finally launched, people started signing up immediately. They knocked on the door as soon as we opened it. The response validated not just the business model, but the entire 17-year journey.

Our readers are loyal. They value what we do. They understand that creating quality content takes time and resources. They want Anglotopia to succeed and continue.

To everyone who’s already joined: thank you. You validated the idea. You showed us that we’re not a fly-by-night operation—we’re a sustainable, valued resource with a community that will support it.

The Future: The Next 17 Years

We’ve been doing this for 17 years. We hope to be doing it for at least another 17. The Friends of Anglotopia Club makes that possible.

With your support, we can:

• Remove ads and improve everyone’s reading experience
• Create deeper, more thoughtful content
• Commission work from talented writers
• Build community features that bring Anglophiles together
• Expand our coverage of British culture, history, and travel
• Invest in new formats and technologies
• Plan for the long-term without constant worry about platform changes

We’re not going anywhere. Anglotopia will remain free for everyone. The daily articles, the guides, the resources—all of it stays accessible.

But for those who want to support what we do and get exclusive benefits, the Friends of Anglotopia Club offers that opportunity. You’re not just subscribing to content—you’re joining a community and supporting the creation of something meaningful.

How to Join

If you’re interested in joining the Friends of Anglotopia Club, links are in the show notes and on the Anglotopia website. We offer both monthly and yearly memberships.

If you have questions—any questions at all—please leave a comment or send us an email. We’re happy to answer.

If you’re not ready to join yet, that’s okay too. Keep reading Anglotopia for free. Keep engaging with the content. Keep being part of the community. We’re not going anywhere.

Thank You

Thank you for being part of this journey. Whether you’ve been with us since 2007 or discovered us yesterday, you’re part of what makes Anglotopia special.

Thank you to everyone who reads the articles, follows on social media, buys books and products, and shares your love of Britain with us. You make this work meaningful.

And especially, thank you to the Friends of Anglotopia members who’ve already joined. You’re making this next chapter possible.

Here’s to the next 17 years of celebrating all things British from an American perspective. Here’s to building something sustainable, meaningful, and positive in a corner of the internet that needs more of all three.

Welcome to the Friends of Anglotopia Club. Welcome to the next chapter of our story. We’re excited to have you along for the ride.

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To learn more about the Friends of Anglotopia Club or to join, visit Anglotopia.net. Links to membership information are in the show notes. For questions, email us at editor@anglotopia.net. Subscribe to the Anglotopia Podcast for more episodes about British culture, travel, history, and our ongoing adventures in celebrating Britain.

Next week: We promise guests! Real interviews with fascinating people! The wait is almost over!