Checking-in with…
Sally Bayly, founder, Grounded
Sally’s most recent venture, GROUNDED – a welcoming community cafe and wellness space in Lion Street – represents a culmination of her life’s passions and skills. She started out in architectural practice in London, whilst at the same time pursuing a successful singing career. Singing took over and she left architecture to tour with her band – including her ‘partner in all things’, her late husband, musician and film composer Michel Duvoisin. Whilst recording their first album in the US, Sally took up yoga; and when she and Michel moved to Rye in 2002 (what she calls Michel’s “hilariously random decision”) she began teaching, building up a hugely inclusive yoga community, Sally’s Yoga For All.
She also returned to her architectural roots, becoming deeply involved in the town’s architectural landscape and renovating several houses in the citadel over the years.
After the sudden and tragic passing of Michel in 2020, Sally felt a strong desire to give back to the community that had supported her family during their time of loss. This led her to transform Rye Old Books, a cherished local landmark, into GROUNDED. Her architectural skills were key to the transformation, reusing materials from past projects — paving slabs and bricks unearthed in the courtyard, wooden panels from the old bookshop, light fixtures and furniture repurposed from a recently closed local vegan café.
Sally’s commitment to physical and mental wellbeing is reflected in the space she has created — designed to foster connection, health, and healing within the Rye community. Not just a warm and welcoming community cafe but a wellness hub, offering yoga classes, wellness workshops, and more. Among the many activities already taking place are open-to-all Sunday games afternoons, book clubs, poetry evenings, Sunday morning meditation sessions, and special yoga sessions for seniors. Italian conversation, craft workshops, vegan potluck lunch club and more are coming soon. Sally invites members of the community to get in touch if they have an idea for an event or gathering they would like to host at GROUNDED.
She aims to keep it local and sustainable – even the coffee cups are made from recycled coffee grounds. Her GROUNDED ethos: “There’s no rush here”.
What brings you to The George?
Initially it was the buffet breakfast! I would meet with a few friends every week to feast on what was absolutely the BEST home-made granola I’ve ever tasted… plus fresh fruit, delicious yoghurt, great croissants, loads of choice for vegetarians. The staff are always friendly, the fires are cosy – and the bar is the only one open late on a Sunday. Plus, discounts for locals. What’s not to like!
List 3 things you won’t leave home without?
The three things I CAN’T leave home without are my keys, my phone and my bag. But my beautiful Lab Lola is more important to take than those 3 put together… so if she can go where I’m going, I take her. Every time I leave the house I say my mantra out loud: “Phone, keys, bag, dog”.
What is your earliest hotel memory?
Doing a gig at The Dorchester with my baby son Louis smuggled under my husband Michel’s coat… He and I were in the same band, so we had to smuggle our kids in everywhere. The road crew boys would take it in turns to walk up and down the corridors jiggling them about until I could come off stage and feed them… it was hilarious. All my early hotel memories are from gigs – I never stayed in a hotel until long after I was a singer in a band. But the BEST memory is staying in the most amazing, luxurious hotel in Barcelona with Richard Branson, when our band played at the Opening of his first European Virgin Megastore – hanging out with him and the crew at the backstage party with an incredible Catalonian band doing this crazy syncopated hand clapping thing – I think it’s called Palmas – that only they can do.
What is the best/most important part of staying away in a hotel for you?
For me personally, it’s the feeling of being free from responsibility. And for the hotel itself? Definitely the general vibe – a sense of warmth and comfort, welcoming staff, great veggie food, and a bar that stays open late where you don’t feel rushed.
What are you currently reading/binge-watching/listening to?
I’m always reading whatever my book club dictates. But I’m a very fast reader so I also have time for other books – my last (beautiful) book was Orbital by Samantha Harvey. I was bingeing a bit on The White Lotus but I’ve run out of steam with it – and anyway I always fall asleep if I watch anything at night. Reading is better for me.
Do you have a hotel lobby/lift story you’d care to share with us?
YES! My family were staying in a hotel in Paris and our youngest son Luc got stuck in the lift – he was 4 or 5 so he should have been terrified. But it was a glass walled lift, and we just watched him from above, sitting down cross-legged on the floor. No fuss. It was incredible – he was stuck in there on his own for over an hour while they went to fetch a supervisor. When we asked him how he did it, he just said “there was nothing to do but sit down, so I did”.
What do you always forget/lose when you go away?
Um… can I say anything/everything? I’m famous for leaving to go on holiday, then swinging back round to our house on the Mint to pick up whatever I left behind. Everyone I’ve ever lived with says they just wait by the front door, timing me and waiting for the sound of my key in the lock five minutes after I left. This happens ABSOLUTELY without fail (I’ve never left my kids behind though, so I guess that’s a plus?)
Hypothetically, who would you most like to discover is a fellow guest?
I can’t say I’m really a star-struck person – I always feel like an idiot if I try to talk to someone in the limelight. But if I had to pick someone I’d like to talk to while he’s still on this planet it would be David Attenborough – we need him to live forever.
What helps you get to sleep at night? (Keep it clean!)
An Epsom salts bath with a WiDEYE candle alight alongside, then I always read myself to sleep. Lola our dog and Ally our cat usually end up on the bed and if I wake up, their presence and slow breathing is really calming.
My secret Rye discovery is…
Too many to list! I love going up St Mary’s Church tower when we have visitors – the climb up is unique and the views from the top are fantastic. My favourite (not very secret) place is Simply Italian – I feel like I’m home when I’m there. We’ve celebrated every single family birthday there for over 20 years. And I love The Standard next door to us for the same reason. Like I said, so many!
