Club sticks to guns in yoga classes row

Wendy Preston said she has been treated "very poorly" by the club, after being given notice to wrap up her classes in the Pavilion Room.

Her slots on Tuesday and Thursday evenings have now been taken by former GMTV television yoga instructor Anton Simmha, who asked Mrs Preston to move two of her classes back by 30 minutes, so that he would be able to take classes there too.

The rugby club management also asked Mrs Preston to do this and, when she refused, gave her notice to move, unless she agreed to the new times. A letter from site manager Terry Folly to Mrs Preston said that the decision had been taken "to let the club to Mr Simmha".

It continued: "We repeat the offer for you to continue with your classes at the revised times, but if this is not agreeable, we give notice to terminate your hiring as from July 1."

Mrs Preston has now moved her classes to Ledbury Primary School on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She said of the rugby club: "I would never go back. They've been so disloyal."

Dr Ruth Moon, of Woodleigh Road, Ledbury, attended Mrs Preston's classes and agreed that she had been badly treated. She said: "The whole matter was dealt with in a very perfunctory and unpleasant manner, despite Wendy's long-term use of the club.

"Like 60 or 70 other Ledbury women, I have greatly benefited from Wendy Preston's 'Fitbits' exercise classes. These have been running at the rugby club for several years. You would think this was the ideal use of such a community facility."

Mr Simmha said he felt "caught in the middle of this".

"I'd have been much, much happier if she had stayed," he said. "It was not our intention to put Wendy out. I'm glad she's found a new venue."

Rugby club manager Geoff Fletcher said: "My view is that we dealt in a fair manner and we don't want to cause upset to anyone. It comes down to a commercial decision being made on behalf of the rugby club."