Refunds have been issued to some customers after The Salt Path author Raynor Winn pulled out of a tour. Claims about her best-selling book’s authenticity caused her withdrawal.
Winn was due in Shrewsbury on Friday for the Saltlines tour. This “prose and music collaboration” featured her alongside a folk band. However, The Observer alleged she made inaccurate claims about her 2018 bestseller. she has withdrawn from live appearances. She has denied the claims and stated she is seeking legal advice.
On Wednesday, Winn again hit back at The Observer’s allegations. She responded in detail on her website.
Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury confirmed it issued some refunds. However, “the vast majority of the audience have chosen to retain their tickets,” a spokesperson added.
Gigspanner Big Band tours with Winn in Saltlines. In a statement, they said their performances must go ahead. They will instead present their new album. They are discussing all tour venues. Shrewsbury, Liverpool, Nottingham, Norwich, and Chipping Campden dates will proceed. An event at the Waterside in Sale, Greater Manchester, is cancelled.
The Salt Path, and its recent film adaptation, tells a couple’s story. They walk the 630-mile South West Coast Path after their home’s repossession. The Observer alleged Winn misrepresented events leading to their home loss. The book described losing money in a bad business deal. Instead, the newspaper said Winn defrauded her employer of £64,000.
According to The Observer, the couple borrowed £100,000 to repay the money Winn was accused of stealing. Their home was repossessed when the loan was called in. It also spoke to medical experts. They were sceptical about her husband Moth having corticobasal degeneration (CBD), as she described. They cited his long survival after diagnosis, lack of acute symptoms, and apparent ability to reverse them.
‘Deeply Sorry’
On Wednesday, Penguin stated it performed “all necessary due diligence” before releasing The Salt Path. The publisher also confirmed it received no concerns about the book’s content before The Observer’s story. Penguin held a contract with Winn requiring factual accuracy.
Winn maintains her book “lays bare the physical and spiritual journey Moth and I shared.” She calls it “an experience that transformed us completely and altered the course of our lives. This is the true story of our journey.” In a lengthy website statement on Wednesday, she provided documents. These appeared to confirm her husband Moth’s prior CBD diagnosis. She also defended her account of losing their house and denied any outstanding debts.
However, Winn admitted “mistakes” in business earlier in her career. The Observer reported she defrauded her previous employer of £64,000. She described that time as pressured. “Any mistakes I made during the years in that office, I deeply regret, and I am truly sorry,” she said. But she added the case settled between her and her ex-employer on a “non-admissions basis.” Police questioned her, but did not charge her.
Leave a Reply