The Potions Cauldron Ltd had more than 70 staff and 11 locations across northern England and Scotland but it went into administration in April before being sold for £300,000 to the founder’s dad
A themed drinks and mini golf brand has collapsed into administration with creditors claiming they are owed more than £2million.
The Potions Cauldron Ltd offered potion making experiences and mini golf to customers as well as retail and wholesale of drinks and licensed products.
The York-based company had ten sites across northern England and Scotland trading under names like the Potions Cauldron, Hole In Wand, The Potions Academy and The Potions Express.
The business was expanding, with an average of two sites a year opening with 11 in total employing more than 70 staff. The business had £3.25million in revenue in the year to March 2025 and profits of £266,000.
However a new report shows the business got into trouble, blaming a combination of factors including underperforming locations and the government’s recycling charge on glass bottles and on 10 April 2026 administrators from BTG’s London office were called in.
Asher Miller and Stephen Katz partners from BTG have released a report to creditors which contains more information about the state of the business.
While the wholesale business was performing well and several of the themed locations were profitable, other sites traded poorly on opening which created a drag on the business. In their reports the administrators said that during 2025, the company had also “experienced a combination of unfortunate operational issues and external market impacts which put further pressure on its financial footing and contributed to its eventual insolvency”.
A flood at the Hole in Wand site in Chester in January 2025 was cited as one such issue, as well as the government’s recycling tax on glass bottles also hit sales and “Local policy changes” reduced footfall in York and Blackpool locations. The increase in Employer’s National Insurance contributions was also cited as a factor.
The company was unable to find a new equity partner in 2025 but investment for a restructure was not forthcoming and in 2026 the business was referred to administrators BTG Begbies Traynor. The company was not able to pay its creditors despite some of its underlying elements remaining strong. A marketing push was started to find lenders able to support a sale.
A pre-packaged sale out of administration took place in April 2026 with The Potions Cauldron Ltd’s assets sold to The Potions Group Ltd for £300,000. The sole director of the new business, known as The Potions Group Limited, is Robin Fry, the father of the co-founder of the original company Ben Fry.
Stuart Jarman, managing director of the former company, is also listed as a minority shareholder in the new company.
The sites in York, Leeds, Chester, Blackpool and Seaham have been sold in the deal, with the Edinburgh store closed and its four employees made redundant. The remaining 72 staff were transferred to the new owners.
A report from the administrators showed that there was a surplus of £47,963 available to preferential creditors (those who are paid first), less £2,932 owed to staff.
First ranking secured creditor Nucleus, owed a total of £164,000, will receive £50,000 Insider reported, while other secured creditors are expected to get nothing. HMRC was owed £142,000 (as a secondary preferential creditor) but is unlikely to see any payment.
Claims from unsecured creditors total about £2.24m, but the report said it is “anticipated that realisations will be insufficient to enable any dividend to be paid”.
