The Yoga Garden, a holistic health club which opened a year ago, is closing its treatment rooms to extend its successful Italian restaurant, Cibo.
When it opened in November 2001 in South Parade, Summertown, Oxford, the Yoga Garden offered treatments such as acupuncture, zero balancing, chiropractic and osteopathy, as well as a studio for yoga. A cafe at the front offered health food.
Now the plunge pool is to be transformed into an eye-catching feature for the restaurant, and a wine bar will replace the reflexology and reiki.
Co-owner Anthony di Pinto said: "The yoga classes will continue, but the restaurant is more successful than the treatment rooms in terms of revenue and profit margin.
"It is a question of free market taking its toll. That is what the demand is for.
"On the one hand, it is a bit of a shame that the treatment side is going, because we have put a lot of time and work into it. But we have also put a lot of time and work into the restaurant side, which has been growing."
The Yoga Garden and Cibo will both close for three weeks in August and re-open in September with a wine bar at the front specialising in Italian wines.
Mr di Pinto's father Mario, a charismatic figure on the Oxford restaurant scene for many years, sold his Cowley Road pizza parlour at the end of last year and now graces Cibo with his presence.
Anthony said: "He has retired, but he eats here three or four times a week and he still enjoys the buzz of meeting customers.
"Many of them come here as well as eating at Mario's, which is under new ownership."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article