The founders of a luxury yoga festival dubbed the 'UK's Fyre Festival' have left hundreds of customers and traders more than £218,000 out of pocket, according to damning new financial documents.
The Rise and Fall of Soul Circus
Roman and Ella Wroath established their company Soul Circus Limited in 2016, hosting their first wellness festival in the Cotswolds in 2018. The event was marketed as featuring 'the most sought after' yoga instructors and practitioners, attracting enthusiasts year after year to the picturesque location.
However, the 2024 edition descended into chaos when organisers changed dates before eventually cancelling altogether. The situation became increasingly messy as customers reported inconsistent refund policies and confusion about whether the 2025 event would proceed.
Some attendees received no communication from the business whatsoever, arriving at the festival site only to find an empty field rather than the promised wellness retreat.
Financial Fallout and Creditor Impact
According to a statement of affairs published on the Companies House profile, Soul Circus owes creditors a total of £401,903.75. After accounting for an £80,000 credit card and various loans, the net debt stands at £218,715 affecting 284 separate creditors.
Among those left out of pocket are 252 customers, 32 traders, and two employees, alongside various other businesses that provided services to the festival.
The liquidator's final account highlighted several concerning aspects of the Wroaths' conduct that warrant further investigation, including the high volume of customer complaints, non-payment of refunds, and retention of crown monies.
More seriously, the report noted challengeable drawings and expenses during trading, alongside potentially fraudulent information provided to obtain £44,296 in Bounce Back Loans from Natwest during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Customer Experiences: Broken Trust and Financial Loss
Lianna Greene, 45, spent £1,395 on nine tickets for what was meant to be a surprise birthday getaway for a close friend. She discovered the event was cancelled just four weeks before their scheduled attendance.
'I have got real mixed emotions because we were doing something nice for our friend, which on paper seemed like it was going to be amazing,' Ms Greene told the Daily Mail. 'The fact people can just run away with people's money whilst everyone has paid into a festival that didn't happen and have been fobbed off is beyond words.'
Helen Holland, a 36-year-old single mother and yoga teacher from Hertfordshire, lost £225 after having a positive experience at the 2022 festival. She was offered a rolled-over ticket but opted for a refund that never materialised.
'I don't think people should be able to treat others like that especially in the name of being health and looking out for each other,' Ms Holland said. 'It makes me wary of companies in the future - and it's just left me feel sad to be honest.'
Traders Left Struggling
The fallout extended beyond ticket holders to small businesses who had booked trading pitches. Candice Mason, owner of herbal tea business Mother Cuppa, almost saw her company collapse after Soul Circus charged her new business twice for a single pitch, totalling £1,200.
'My business was only a year old when I booked it and I didn't have a lot of money, so it was a big risk to book things like that,' the 42-year-old explained. 'It caused me cash flow problems, I borrowed from my mum for my business and it really broke my confidence and trust.'
Despite obtaining a county court judgement (CCJ) against Soul Circus Limited and winning her case for £1,491.16 including court fees, Ms Mason has yet to receive any payment.
Pattern of Financial Issues
This isn't the first time the Wroaths have faced financial controversies. Their previous landlords came forward to reveal the couple had a CCJ placed against them personally for non-payment of rent on a London flat during COVID-19.
The landlords, who wish to remain anonymous, claimed the Wroaths' actions left them nearly financially ruined during the pandemic, eventually resulting in a court order for them to pay £9,874.16.
Meanwhile, affected customers and traders have formed a support group with approximately 296 members, sharing information and strategies to recoup their losses as the liquidation process continues.
Action Fraud confirmed receiving reports about Soul Circus in September 2024 and January 2025, though neither case has been passed to a police force for investigation due to assessment criteria.
The Soul Circus website has been removed from the internet, and despite the company's collapse, tickets for the 2025 festival were advertised until December 4 last year. Roman and Ella Wroath, currently understood to be in the UK but with a residence in Portugal, did not respond to requests for comment.
