Is There Something in the Water?

Notes from the Clay Bench

Let’s start with the most important thing: we *love* our clients. Truly. Without them, Cheshire Clay Studios would just be a quiet room full of wheels wondering where everyone’s gone. The vast, vast majority of people who join our classes are wonderful — kind, curious, enthusiastic, and full of good humour. We feel genuinely lucky to have them.

However (and yes, there’s always a “however”), there’s a very small handful who occasionally make us reach for the emergency biscuit tin.

Our refund and transfer policy is clear: no changes unless we cancel or postpone a class. But we know life can throw curveballs — illness, family emergencies, unexpected surprises — and when something genuine crops up, we’ll always do our best to help. Those aren’t the people who make us sigh.

It’s the others. The serial cancellers. The “Oh, I didn’t realise it would be dark in November” crowd (for an evening class). The “I don’t think this is for me” after a single session. The “I don’t like someone else on the course” — after sitting silently beside them for ten minutes.

What do they all have in common? A firm belief that our policies don’t *really* apply to them. They don’t see the empty space that could have gone to someone else, or the rearranging that happens behind the scenes. And it’s not just us noticing — every small business we talk to seems to be seeing more of this lately.

The funny thing is, we can often tell from the very first contact when a tricky one might be coming our way. It’s not anything obvious — more of a sixth sense. One day, we’ll have a secret trapdoor that gently ushers these folks away before they hit “book now,” but for now, we smile, reply politely, and carry on.

Because for every one person who tests our patience, there are a hundred others who remind us exactly why we do what we do — people who bring laughter, creativity, kindness, and the occasional cake into the studio. They’re the ones who make it all worthwhile.

Until next time, keep your hands muddy, your spirits light, and your sense of humour close by.