Luxury for rent
Pedigree pooches, designer handbags and domestic staff are just some of the luxuries being giving up in the credit crunch. We reveal the art of living the 'hire life' in this week's issue


Pedigree pooches, designer handbags, art and domestic staff are just some of the luxuries people are giving up as a result of the credit crunch. Country Life reveals in this week’s issue (out tomorrow, October 22) how to continue to look the part by living the hire life.
The growth of online retail has led to a treasure trove of luxury goods for hire. In a lighthearted look at how you can now rent a lifestyle, we reveal that the latest Balenciaga hand bag is available from just £7.50 a month, a butler can serve dinner from just £200 a night and from either £7.50 a day or £50 a year, buyers can look a million pounds hiring gold, silver and diamond jewellery at www.hotrockshire.co.uk. A pedigree dog can be hired for £99 a month at www.flexpetz.com and modern art is available at www.artlab-gallery.co.uk from just £15 per month.
Mark Hedges, editor of Country Life, said: 'You can rent a slice of almost anything these days, from a classic car to a black lab. With tongue firmly in cheek, we have discovered that you can still enjoy luxury goods, even if only for a day. In these gloomy times, spending a day driving a glorious car could provide a great boost without breaking the bank.'
* Are you looking for domestic staff? See our classifieds section
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Country Life is unlike any other magazine: the only glossy weekly on the newsstand and the only magazine that has been guest-edited by HRH The King not once, but twice. It is a celebration of modern rural life and all its diverse joys and pleasures — that was first published in Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year. Our eclectic mixture of witty and informative content — from the most up-to-date property news and commentary and a coveted glimpse inside some of the UK's best houses and gardens, to gardening, the arts and interior design, written by experts in their field — still cannot be found in print or online, anywhere else.
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