Staffordshire Yoga Studio Faces Complaints After Unexpected Closure
The closure of a Staffordshire yoga studio has led to complaints and a referral to Action Fraud. Former staff and members express frustration and concern over their financial losses.
Staffordshire Police announced it had received numerous complaints regarding the abrupt closure of a local yoga studio, which has led to a referral to Action Fraud, the national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime.
A former employee, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed that she did not know the couple who managed the studio, Blair and Vanessa Davies, and had not heard from them since its closure.
She discovered the situation through a message posted on the studio's website and noted that employees had been attempting to support one another during this difficult time.
Cerys Chaderton-Fears, a member of the studio since January 2023, remarked, "CALM always felt like a safe space to me." She added that the unexpected closure and the management's lack of response was "hard to accept" and had shaken her trust in fitness facilities.
Chaderton-Fears expressed doubt about retrieving the £170 she had paid and was relieved she had declined an offer to invest in the renovations of the studio.
Another customer, also choosing anonymity, mentioned knowing Mr Davies well and having built meaningful friendships through the yoga classes. She found it difficult to comprehend the situation, claiming he was "genuinely a nice man," but observed that the couple had "not been hands on with the studio for some time." The BBC has made attempts to reach out to Mr and Mrs Davies for a comment.
Buckso Dhillon, who began working at the studio a year ago, reported, "Every single month I had to chase my invoice." She stated she was still owed approximately £700 by the business and felt "incensed" over the predicament, which has also impacted several foreign workers. "It's the people that haven't got a voice that I feel I've got to speak up for," she added.
