A yoga centre in Shrewsbury is switching Lycra for high-vis and hard hats as it announces work is underway to transform a derelict, outdated building into a brand-new haven for the community.

The building in Belle Vue - directly attached to its current space which will remain open throughout the build - will see the creation of a second studio space, additional treatment rooms offering holistic therapies, and more.

The thriving centre, Jenna Blair Yoga, has far outgrown demand, with its classes and variety of offerings to support wellbeing often fully booked with waiting lists.

With a busy programme of events thanks to its numerous funding grants from the likes of Arts Council England and the National Lottery Community Fund, as well as new Yoga Teacher Training programmes starting in 2025, more space is desperately needed.

The building undergoing transformation requires a full-scale rip-out and redesign to turn it into an oasis of serenity and calm. The ambition is to complete the renovation works in time for the space to open later in 2025.

Founder and Director, Jenna Blair, said: “We’re delighted to share the news of our upcoming transformation! This is a plan that’s been in the works for a while now, and it’s an exciting chapter for our team here at Jenna Blair Yoga as we start this new phase of our expansion. We took on the first building back in 2021 transforming the space from a dilapidated office block to what we have now which is a much-loved, peaceful haven for a huge variety of classes, treatments and offerings that support wellbeing.

“We welcome more than 400 people through our doors each week - demand for what we offer here is more popular than we ever could have imagined. We are growing our building as we grow as a business and a not-for-profit community organisation. It’s our ambition to benefit as many people as possible through yoga, and our new second building will help us to do this.

“We’re now also offering so much more than yoga - although that will always remain at the core of what we do. Recent funding from Arts Council England, the National Lottery Community Fund, Lingen Davies among others has seen us offer a full programme of mindful creative activities including arts, crafts, writing, singing and walking workshops to name a few.”

“The growing community strand of our work means we want to make the new space fully accessible for wheelchair users and families with baby changing facilities. It’s our mission to make yoga, creative practices and activities that support wellbeing accessible to all, which our new building will allow us to do.”

Jenna Blair Yoga continues to stay open while the building work next door takes place. The full schedule of classes, workshops, events and treatments can be found at jennablairyoga.co.uk