A wellness influencer at war with neighbours over her £30,000 garden Pilates studio claims ‘bizarre’ locals have ‘set up fake social media accounts to stalk’ her.
Megan Smith, 24, spent three years training in wellness centres in Dubai before selling everything she owned, including her car, to pay for Pilates machinery.
With her new expertise and more money in the bank, Megan came back to the UK and moved into her grandparents’ £825,000 Norfolk home where they split the cost of building her studio.
Renovation works on the property in Kings Lynn got underway earlier this year and the studio officially opened its doors on November 3, welcoming 46 people in the space of one week.
But, despite its popularity, residents living nearby claim noise from the studio and hazardous parked cars could disrupt their once quiet community, while others say there is no need for her business as they already have Pilates in the village hall.
The gym, named Luco Wellness – after Megan’s dachshund Lulu, who she brought back from Dubai, and her Cockapoo Coco – now hosts up to six classes a day, between 6am and 7pm on weekdays and 9am to 12 noon on weekends.
Prices range from £23 for a single class to £40 per person for a private session. She also hosts hen parties and corporate events.
The business, which lists Megan and grandfather Bernard as directors, also boasts an on-site cafe, Luco Nourish, which serves a range of organic treats from Matcha lattes to Acai bowls ‘that support both the body and mind’.
However, planning permission for the studio is yet to be granted, with a retrospective application seeking a change of use to the building still waiting to be approved.
Megan Smith, 24, trained in wellness centres across Dubai before moving back home to her grandparents’ house in Norfolk to build her Pilates studio
The pilates studio (pictured) has become the centre of a planning battle after neighbours complained about the levels of noise, cars clogging up the roads and safety risks to pedestrians
Megan’s grandparents’ £825,000 house in Kings Lynn where Megan has set up her Pilates studio
The proposal was submitted to the council in September and has already attracted dozens of complaints from disgruntled locals over the levels of noise, increased traffic, safety risks to pedestrians, and an impact on their mental health.
Others who have been keeping up with Megan’s business social media page – which boasts over 23,000 followers – were alarmed by adverts for hen parties and said advertising suggests something much grander than the small-scale business she proposed to the council.
In response to the surveillance of her Instagram account, Megan said: ‘I have had these people looking at my social media and stalking me on there. It’s bizarre. They’re setting up accounts so they can stalk me.’
Megan said she decided to build her zen den before getting planning permission because she ‘could not wait longer to start earning money’, adding: ‘I had put everything into this, months and months of planning and I thought “Why would I let small-minded people stop me from trying to do this?”.’
Now, with West Norfolk Council set to decide the application outcome on January 12, Megan has spoken out against objecting locals and defended her business.
She said: ‘I’ve done hen parties and had corporate days for businesses but I don’t know what idea they [neighbours] have. It’s not parties.
‘It’s yoga and Pilates. All it is is a private class. I’m not holding hen parties in the studio and they just have a coffee or a Matcha at the end.’
Responding to suggestions she is underselling the scale of her business to the council, she blamed the older generations’ lack of social media literacy and claimed her Pilates reformer classes host only five people at a time.
‘They just don’t understand social media. That’s how I get all of my clients. That’s how I’ve built my business. Social media is one of my strengths and I use my strengths,’ she said.
Whilst living in Dubai, Megan learned the power of social media for business by producing fitness content, ‘a day in my life’ videos, and promotional posts for beach clubs, restaurants and salons.
Now, with West Norfolk Council set to decide the application outcome on January 12, Megan has spoken out against objecting locals and defended her business
The business, which lists Megan and grandfather Bernard as directors, also boasts an onsite cafe, named Luco Nourish, which serves a range of organic treats from Matcha lattes to Acai bowls ‘that support both the body and mind’
oOne woman, who did not want to give her name but lives in North Wootton and objects to the Pilates studio, said: ‘My thoughts are there’s very little parking and it’s always been a quiet area and I worry about the disruption and noise’
Speaking of the objections to her Pilates studio, she said: ‘Around here, not a lot of people are into Instagram. I’m 100 per cent grateful for Instagram but it’s been my best friend and my worst enemy.
‘It’s got all my clients but also been the worst thing because people have been going on and running away with ideas.’
Despite pushback from neighbours, Megan still puts her full belief in her business venture which brings something that is easily accessible for city-dwellers to those living in her small town.
She said: ‘There’s nothing like it around here. I’ve got something here that you have in big cities. I wanted to bring something like that here.
‘I used to go to Pilates classes and have a Matcha and bring friends. The only thing us girls have to do around here is go to Starbucks. That’s why I came up with my idea for Luco.’
But one woman, who did not want to give her name but lives in North Wootton and objects to the Pilates studio, said: ‘My thoughts are there’s very little parking and it’s always been a quiet area and I worry about the disruption and noise.
‘We have Pilates at the village hall. It’s not as if there’s a paucity of Pilates classes around her.’
Neighbour Betty Engledow, 79, said of reformer Pilates and Matcha: ‘I’ve never heard of such a thing.
‘I’ve got friends who are into Pilates. They do a lot in North Wootton village hall and have dance classes and yoga there.’
Megan said the majority of her clients were locals who ‘love it’, so negative comments are ‘hard’ to hear.
‘I’ve put everything into this. I sold everything I had in Dubai and have had a lot of help from my nan and granddad,’ she said.
There is a discrepancy between how Megan is currently running the business and what she is asking for in the planning permission, but she said once the planning issues are agreed, she will follow them.
Megan is seen sitting in a sauna in a promotional video for her wellness business Luco Wellness
The business, which lists Megan and grandfather Bernard as directors, also boasts an onsite cafe, named Luco Nourish
Currently, Megan runs the business four days a week with two hour-long classes each day for a maximum of five people, including Sundays from 7am.
She had been advertising classes from 6am, but said nobody was booking them.
However, on the planning application, she has asked to run classes two classes between 8am and 7pm four days a week and to be closed on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Megan also made it clear in the planning application that the sauna, swimming pool and ice bath shown on her website is only for residential use and will not be part of the business.
Villagers had raised concerns that the Luco Wellness website suggested visitors would have access to a sauna, cold bath and swimming pool as part of the ‘wellness’ package.
One said: ‘On social media it looks like a wellness thing, which to me is a spa resort.
‘The planning permission is for a very small scale Pilates studio.’
A video of Megan and her friends on the website shows them walking past her grandparents’ swimming pool and into the spa and pictures show Megan sinking into a cold bath.
Explaining the confusion, Megan said: ‘Originally, when all the videos were done, that’s exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted it to be a wellness retreat and whole experience.
‘Due to all the issues and all the complaints I thought “I can’t be bothered with all this”. All the videos were done and I spent a lot of money.’
Another objection from villagers was that her opening hours on Sundays would clash with gathering times at the nearby church and cause traffic problems.
Megan said: ‘The Sunday is so busy. This is a luxury for people who work and they want to be able to come at weekends.’
Borough Councillor Richard Coates said: ‘Opposite this location is the green which has the local war memorial and if they open on a Sunday, I can see a Remembrance Sunday service there and I can see a little difficulty with people turning up for a Pilates class and Remembrance Sunday happening at the same time.
‘Just along the road there’s the parish church which was built before cars were invented and you see people parking on the road. There might be a problem with opening on a Sunday.
‘Sunday opening for the Pilates classes, I don’t think is right. It’s a day that normally is a quieter day.’
One neighbour also sent a picture of a car outside the Pilates studio that had been parked on communal grass to suggest that Megan’s business was causing traffic problems.
Megan’s grandparents, Bernie, 71, and Georgina, 69 – who have 11 grandchildren – also defended her studio.
Bernie said: ‘Some people who live quite close to us have shocked us. They were saying “They’re going to make too much noise, there’s going to be too much traffic and it’s not going to be good for the community” which is nonsense.
‘We paid £1,000 for a sound test in the building and it came back with a completely clean bill of health. Reformer Pilates is silent and gentle.’
Megan’s uncle, Lee Smith, said they have even had ‘people driving past and taking pictures’ of their cars.
Megan’s former dance teacher Vickie Willie, 35, who has known her since she was 10, said: ‘I do not understand why there’s been an issue with it.
‘There’s more grandchildren coming into that house at one time than what Megan has for any of her classes.
‘The only thing I can think is they’ve [the neighbours] have got an issue with a lady doing well for herself.’
A number of residents have already instructed a local planning firm to write to the council, calling for the application to be rejected as it supposedly fails to comply with local planning rules.
Megan’s grandparents, Bernie, 71, and Georgina, 69 – who have 11 grandchildren – also defended her studio
Responding to suggestions she is underselling the scale of her business to the council, she blamed the older generations lack of social media literacy and claimed her Pilates reformer classes host only five people at a time
Megan pictured outside Luco Wellness which was named after her dachshund Lulu, who she brought back from Dubai, and her Cockapoo Coco
The letter claimed the business would be a ‘detriment’ to nearby residents and the character of the local area, will generate too much noise and provides ‘inadequate on-site parking provision’ for people attending classes.
‘Whilst the studio building itself may not result in noise disturbance (if windows and doors are kept closed while in use), customers accessing and maneuvering vehicles within the site, consuming food and drink and gathering in groups, are all of a scale and intensity inappropriate within predominantly residential area,’ the letter reads.
‘The potential for significant noise and disturbance to existing local residents based on this level of activity is significant and extremely likely to detract from the quiet enjoyment of adjoining residents’ properties.
‘The nature, scale and intensity of business use as proposed is considered wholly inappropriate within a residential area on the basis of the most recent information provided.’
It adds that the size of the business is ‘incompatible with the peaceful enjoyment of residents’ properties’ and should therefore be located somewhere that is ‘more appropriate to commercial operations of this nature and scale’.
The letter concludes: ‘It is considered that the significant business use proposed is unacceptable based on its detrimental effect on the amenities of existing local residents, would not be in keeping with the residential character of the area, and would generate significant vehicular traffic and activity that cannot be accommodated within the site, to the detriment of highway safety.’
Elsewhere, the application has also attracted dozens of individual comments from neighbours seemingly concerned over the disruption the Pilates studio could bring.
One disgruntled resident who lives opposite the house voiced concerns over the amount of noise coming from classes and cars as people arrive.
They wrote: ‘The opening hours of 6am to 8pm seem to be very long for only 2 planned classes per day of one hour’s duration and if people are attending Pilates classes during this time period we will be subject to sustained periods of additional noise with respect to cars and people coming and going.’
The neighbour added: ‘Our property lies directly opposite and we have only recently moved into this property. We would not have anticipated having a business operating there and are concerned that the quiet area we had moved into is going to be disrupted by this business.’
Another local resident added: ‘It is suggested that this planning application if successful will lead to improvements in participants physical and mental health.
‘If this proves to be the case it will be at a cost to the local residents mental health. The very local community will not be able to live in symbiosis with this type of project in my medical opinion.’
But some locals disagree and believe Megan should be able to keep her business running as it provides a positive benefit to the local community.
Neighbour Vince Williamson, 62, said: ‘I’m fine with it. Maybe my wife will go to it. I was brought up around here and it’s a good thing for the area.’
Neighbour Betty Engledow, 79, said of reformer Pilates and Matcha: ‘I’ve never heard of such a thing.
‘I’ve got friends who are into Pilates. They do a lot in North Wootton village hall and have dance classes and yoga there. I play golf and that’s my hobby.
‘My husband, Ron is 84. He might be interested [in reformer Pilates]. He’s got a bad knee.’
Neighbour Betty Engledow, 79, supports Megan’s studio and said her husband might try a class to help his bad knee
Neighbour Vince Williamson, 62, said: ‘I’m fine with it. Maybe my wife will go to it. I was brought up around here and it’s a good thing for the area’
Classes are available to book from the company’s website, which describes the studio ‘as a sanctuary where precision meets elegance, giving you the tools to improve posture, build resilience, and move with confidence’.
It also features an online store selling an assortment of Luco branded products including, a £15 bath sheet, £10 tote bag and even grip socks for £12.
Describing Megan’s experience, the website adds: ‘Our lead instructor brings a wealth of international experience, including three years teaching and training in Dubai’s most exclusive wellness studios.
‘This background has shaped a unique teaching style that blends technical precision with a luxury, client-focused approach.’
Planning consultants acting on behalf of Megan have insisted that no loud music will be played from the studio, and any that is played ‘will be of very low level or not at all’.
They added that the property’s driveway ‘has historically accommodated up to 12 vehicles for domestic gatherings’, although they have set out plans for a ‘one way ‘in-out’ system that provides an unobstructed arrangement for five parking guests’.
A planning officer’s report also supported the development: ‘The proposed change of use represents a modest, well-managed form of development that utilises an existing building, generates minimal traffic, and gives rise to no unacceptable noise or amenity impacts.
‘The development delivers meaningful health, wellbeing, and social benefits and is fully consistent with national, local, and neighbourhood planning policy.’
West Norfolk Council will decide the application during a planning committee meeting on January 12.
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