What actually is the St Marks Stays Studio you may ask if you are new to us? Previously built as a connecting room between the original vicarage and the outbuildings / garage at the end, by Bolton School, this space can be used by groups for whatever they need it to be.

The outbuildings I refer to are now our apartment, as we term it. It says Host Lounge, bedroom etc on the floorplan if you have been sent this after booking in. It should really say Owners Apartment as this is where we live. So as we are right next door to the studio, we ask that it is not used for parties at night.

The studio has been used for singing tuition, dancing, art courses, business meetings and presentations, fitness circuits, meditation, sound bath sessions and of course predominantly yoga.

It is an ever evolving space since we took it on. Take a look back an an old blog post on how it looked when we first moved here 6 years ago. We spruced it up then and thought it was okay, but compared to now, it makes us chuckle. So who knows what it may be in another 6 years.

This year, new windows have been installed. We have removed the white board to allow more wall space for yoga, but still have the blank wall to project on to for presentations. We have tables and chairs that can be moved in and out of the studio for courses and meetings and all things creative. We have a bluetooth speaker and a projector and you can access the WiFi, but bring in one of the plug in boosters for this. It can be empty for hen parties to learn flash mob dance routines for the wedding, or fitness groups to set out circuit stations. We have also added curtains to make it cosier and help with the sound echo that was present in an empty room.

Lighting has been amended and added to, so evening yoga sessions can be more subdued. The ceiling lights that hang down have been raised so you are less likely to bang your hands on upwards stretches. Fairy lights have been placed in the corner. There are LED candles that can be moved from the lounge and dining room in to the studio if required. Plus we have added in some remote controlled mood up / down lights that be changed in intensity and also colour and rotated around. Hopefully this will prove better than the dimmer switch ceiling lights which we often find left on even after check out.

The big investment in the studio has been our yoga equipment for you all to use. You don’t need to be a yoga retreat to use it by the way. We have the kit on shelves with a step so you can get to it and the bolsters in bags, so you can move them out of the studio if you don’t need them. It can be taken outside on to the yoga decking. We just ask that the mats are cleaned down after use and there is spray and cloths in a basket to do this.

Yoga Equipment
8 cylindrical bolsters
8 flatter style bolsters
16 yoga mats
16 eye pillows
16 blankets ( We have spare if these get dirty)
16 yoga belts / straps (Plus additional white ones.)
16 cork blocks
32 cork bricks (We also have additional solid wooden ones in our storeroom if required)

The studio measures 6.7 x 5.1 metres. It can fit anything from 8 to 15 yoga mats, but to be honest 13 is a squeeze. I have photographed the studio with the mats laid out in different set ups so you can get the idea.

May 2023
If anyone has questions about the suitability of the studio for them, do email us.
info@stmarksstays.co.uk