Charlotte Church's Healing Retreat Enters 'Hibernation'
The singer's wellness center, The Dreaming, will pause operations at the end of the year due to changing economic conditions.
Singer Charlotte Church has announced that her healing retreat, The Dreaming, will temporarily close at the end of December.
A spokesman for the center, located at Rhydoldog House in Wales, stated that the decision was made because "it is a different world today than the one we started off in." The retreat, which opened in 2023, will pause its work to "reassess what it is we should be offering" and to allow the team time to "compost, mulch, go fallow, listen deeply to the earth, so that we can germinate new dreams for the future."
The Dreaming was established on a 33-acre property in the Elan Valley, which Church purchased for approximately £1.5 million two years prior to the retreat's opening. The property, formerly owned by fashion designer Laura Ashley, underwent significant transformation, including the addition of a "womb room" and unique shower designs. The retreat aimed to connect guests with nature and offer respite from the demands of modern life.
The retreat welcomed approximately 3,000 guests over its operational period. It featured a pay-what-you-can scheme, allowing some visitors to stay for as little as £1 per night, and offered free retreats for NHS workers. Despite positive reviews from publications like Conde Nast Traveller and The Times, the business model proved unsustainable in the current economic climate.
Church, who rose to fame as a classical singer before venturing into pop music, had invested in sustainable features for the retreat, including a hydro mill for power and a water source heat pump for hot water. The property also included extensive gardens and plans for a large-scale food growing project.
The transformation of Rhydoldog House and the establishment of the retreat were documented in a television series. Church and her team faced planning battles and building challenges during the development phase, including concerns from environmental and planning officials regarding waste disposal and potential risks to drivers.
In their social media statement, the retreat team expressed pride in their work and emphasized the need to adapt to complexing crises, stating, "we at The Dreaming need to reassess, with candour and courage what it is we should be offering to be in service." They concluded by affirming their intention to return after this period of introspection, "but return we shall."