Former banker transforms her life to open new venue

A new yoga studio is getting ready to open inside Wayfarers Arcade in Southport this April. Drishti Point, owned by Sue Jones, will occupy the first-floor unit previously home to Dad’s Guitars and Kernaghan Books before that.

The new studio will offer a quiet space inside a beautiful Victorian arcade, which has been welcoming visitors since 1898. Sue already runs a number of successful classes in the seaside town and has been eager to find the perfect premises to accommodate her growing demand.

At the moment, Sue said “lots of hard work” to get everything ready ahead of opening is currently happening. Fresh paint is being applied to the walls, the ceiling has been plastered, window vinyls are in place, and curtains have been fitted, as the space is transformed.

After 32 years working in financial services, starting at Barclays Bank at just 16 and progressing to senior management roles at Santander, Sue decided it was time to focus on something she had always loved: yoga.

At 58, she took on the challenge of training to become a teacher, achieving her 500-hour qualification with the British Wheel of Yoga and becoming a Master Angelic Reiki practitioner.

Over the past three years, she has built a thriving yoga community in Southport, teaching classes for U3A members and helping people discover the benefits of gentle, accessible yoga.

Now she’s bringing that passion to her very own studio at Wayfarers Arcade. She said: “We have been working hard to get everything ready. I have been teaching my yoga classes from a number of different places, moving my equipment from place to place.

“The number of people coming to my sessions has grown and grown. I wanted to find one place I could call home, and have been waiting a while to find the perfect spot.

“When I heard about this unit at Wayfarers Arcade, I thought it would be too expensive, but that wasn’t the case at all.

“This is such a beautiful arcade to be in. It’s brilliant that we will be situated upstairs from the Wayfarers Tea Room and the Pudding & Pie cafe, so people can come to me for yoga and then pop downstairs for a coffee or some lunch.

“It will be great for attracting more people into the arcade and adding even more life and vibrancy. I have some very nice neighbours here, who have been very supportive. There are some fabulous local independent businesses in Wayfarers.

“I have always loved yoga. I thought about giving it a go and thought ‘can I do this’?. I needed a new place to be based and found Wayfarers Arcade. I love it to bits. It’s perfect for what I want.”

Sue hopes to be open for Tuesday, April 7 with a launch event taking place on Saturday, May 2. Sue will be starting with a soft launch of relaxing Yoga Nidra sessions, before introducing more classes.

Sue’s classes will include:

Hatha Yoga – a classic, gentle practice focusing on posture, breath and balance

Chair Yoga – perfect for those with limited mobility or looking for a more supported practice

Pranayama & Meditation – breathing techniques and meditation to calm the mind and reduce stress

Yoga Nidra – a deeply relaxing guided “yogic sleep” meditation

Angelic Reiki – a calming spiritual healing practice