A bride whose luxury wedding plans were thrown into chaos after a hired yurt collapsed on the eve of her ceremony has been awarded more than £16,000 in compensation.
A Hilltop Dream Shattered
Charlotte Crane, 29, and William Easterby, 31, had planned a spectacular June 2024 wedding for 180 guests at a hilltop site on her father's land at Green Court Farm, near Guisborough, North Yorkshire.
The couple, who own an equestrian centre and are part of a renowned horse racing dynasty, hired a 50-foot yurt with fairy lights and floral displays for dining, plus a separate marquee for drinks and dancing.
Their vision unravelled on Friday, June 7, when they discovered the yurt had 'moved significantly' and begun to collapse, with roof struts impossible to secure.
Last-Minute Scramble and 'Worst' Conditions
Staff from the supplier, Yorkshire Yurts Limited, blamed 'unusual' wind conditions at the exposed site and declared the structure too dangerous. With less than 24 hours to go, the couple faced the prospect of disinviting half their guests.
Instead, they orchestrated a frantic salvage operation, hiring a smaller marquee to act as a dining room. The result was a severely cramped space where catering staff could not walk between tables and had to pass meals 'like a conveyor belt'.
One caterer with 17 years' experience described it as the 'worst' wedding conditions she had ever worked in, leaving the bride 'distraught, in floods of tears and unable to sleep'.
Court Battle and Substantial Payout
The couple subsequently sued Yorkshire Yurts at York County Court, seeking a refund and damages for their distress and the ruined experience.
The company defended the claim, arguing the failure was due to bad weather and that the yurt could have been fixed and used. District Judge Andrew Maccuish rejected this, finding the firm in breach of contract for failing to supply a fit-for-purpose structure and for using an incorrect erection method.
In his judgment, the judge emphasised the unique significance of a wedding, stating it was a 'once in a lifetime event' that could not be repeated like a holiday.
He ordered Yorkshire Yurts to repay £6,504 for the unusable yurt and awarded a further £10,000 in damages for the 'real distress' caused, particularly to Mrs Easterby, bringing the total payout to £16,504.
William Easterby is the son of top trainer Tim Easterby and grandson of racing legend Peter Easterby. He is an amateur jockey and senior manager in the family's Habton Grange stud business.
