Catthorpe Manor: Bride-to-be 'heartbroken' as wedding venue shuts

A "heartbroken" bride-to-be has said she has lost thousands of pounds after the venue where she was due to get married closed without warning.

Catthorpe Manor Estate, in Leicestershire, announced on Facebook on Monday that it had ceased trading.

Anna Spreckley, from Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, was supposed to tie the knot with her partner Ed next August.

"They took a large amount of money from us and there was no inkling this was going to happen," she said.

In a statement, a Catthorpe Manor spokesperson said they "sincerely apologise for any distress caused by the closure".

Ms Spreckley told BBC Radio Leicester she realised something was not right after she saw a social media post by a member of staff from Catthorpe Manor.

The post from the worker said they had turned up to work to a notice on the door saying it had ceased trading.

"Our hearts just sank, we tried to get in touch with Catthorpe Manor and we got absolutely nothing. No letter, no email, no nothing," the mother-of-three said.

Ms Spreckley said she then got in touch with her wedding planner, who told her not to worry as they had not heard anything.

But the venue, located near Rugby in Warwickshire, then posted on social media that it had stopped trading.

The 36-year-old said the couple had paid a deposit and fees totalling "thousands" and used a debit card, which she said would make it "harder to get the money back".

"They took a large amount of money from us and there was no inkling this was going to happen.

"We're heartbroken... angry, shocked, upset as a family.

"You work hard to save up for these things and then for it to be taken away is absolutely soul-destroying."

In the statement posted on Facebook, a spokesperson from Catthorpe Manor said: "This decision has not been made lightly but has been taken to avoid further losses and following the wider group no longer being able to support its trading.

"We apologise for being unable to inform all parties formally, until now, but various actions needed to be taken prior to any public notice, in order to safeguard the company's other trading activities, its employees and residents; while also securing the funds necessary to pay the fees and costs of its insolvency."

They added those who had paid deposits to contact their bank.

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