Couples planning their weddings at The Villa Levens, a well-known venue near Kendal in Cumbria, have been left in uncertainty after the venue abruptly closed its doors.
Rumors about the closure began circulating on social media on April 1, leading many to initially believe it was an April Fools’ Day prank. However, the venue later confirmed to the BBC that it had “reluctantly closed” due to the significant financial strain caused by the current economic climate. The business has now entered liquidation, with a liquidator set to handle matters concerning creditors and employees.
For Kerrie Tremble and Jack Riley, who had booked their wedding at The Villa Levens for May 3, the sudden shutdown left them in a state of disbelief. The couple, who had secured the venue two years ago, had only received their final bill for the event the day before the closure was announced.
Tremble, 37, from Morecambe, Lancashire, expressed her frustration: “We’ve just been left in complete and utter limbo to sort it out for ourselves.” Under UK law, couples must give notice of their intent to marry to a registrar at least four weeks in advance and confirm their venue. If Tremble and Riley could not find a new venue and complete the required paperwork by Wednesday, they would have lost their chance to marry on their desired date.
Despite the timing being a “silver lining,” the couple spent hours contacting as many as 40 alternative venues to secure a new location. “The date was really important to us, we picked that bank holiday weekend because we have family traveling from all over the UK,” said Tremble. However, they were left out of pocket, as some suppliers refused to refund deposits, citing breaches of contract.
The couple had been fortunate to have taken out insurance, which they said was “lucky” after hearing about another local venue’s closure. However, Tremble acknowledged that getting their deposit back could take time, and they still needed to cover the cost of their new venue.
The Villa Levens’ closure has also affected other couples who had recently paid deposits. Brandon Carder, 29, and his fiancée Poppy Rhodes were shocked to learn the venue had ceased trading after paying their deposit just days earlier. Carder recalled, “We went along on Monday to pay, and everyone was all smiles. They must have been completely unaware.”
For Sarah Capstick, 48, and her fiancé Phillip King, 46, the news came as a shock after they paid their final balance just two weeks ago. Capstick, who went to the venue after being unable to reach anyone by phone, found staff members in tears. “There were people emptying out the building. A member of staff came out to speak to me and was in tears, saying she’d only just found out,” Capstick recalled.
Capstick and King are now struggling to find another venue within their budget. “We can’t afford to pay out again,” she said.
A statement from The Villa Levens’ spokesperson explained that the business had been under significant financial pressure due to rising operational costs, including those related to employment. “Despite every effort to sell the business as a going concern, we have been unable to do so, and the business has been sold on a closed basis,” the statement said. A liquidator will be appointed soon to handle outstanding matters.
For many couples, the abrupt closure has created additional stress and financial strain, leaving them to scramble for alternative arrangements with limited time and resources.
