Where Have All the Boutique Gyms Gone? Why London’s Fitness Scene is Shrinking

London’s Boutique Fitness Studios Are Disappearing

London’s rental crisis isn’t just affecting restaurants, cafes, and nightclubs - it’s hitting boutique gyms hard. Every few weeks, another popular fitness studio closes its doors, leaving members scrambling for alternatives.

Recent closures include:

• Boomcycle Holborn – Shut several years ago, still vacant

• Digme (Oxford Circus & Bank) – Gone (edit: Their Richmond and Moorgate studios also closed in December 2025).

• Frame Victoria – Closed this week (edit: has re-opened as a Reformer-only studio in late 2025)

• Kobox Marylebone, Barrecore & Reformcore Mayfair and Islington – All closed in January 2024

• Doghouse Balham – A much-loved small studio, now gone

These closures are just the tip of the iceberg, and if nothing changes, Londoners may soon have fewer boutique fitness options than ever before.

The Cost of Running a Boutique Gym in London

Just like the YMCA on Tottenham Court Road and the Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square, boutique fitness studios are being squeezed by sky-high rents. Unlike flagship retail stores on Oxford Street, which can absorb losses for brand visibility, gyms rely solely on memberships and class fees to survive. Even with classes priced at £25+ for 45 minutes, many studios still can’t cover costs.

One has to wonder - where does all that money go?

Who’s Surviving? Boutique Studios That Are Expanding

Despite the wave of closures, some fitness brands are growing, especially in the luxury gym market:

Third Space (£275/month) – Expanding, but members complain about overcrowding
Psycle (£325/month Unlimited) – Opening a new Bank location (rumored to be in Digme’s old spot)
Gymbox (£150/month) – Finally opening their Finsbury Park location (vacant since 2020)
LevelOut (£260/month Unlimited) – A new player dominating the boutique pilates scene

For many of these, the strength is both that they have multiple workout-styles and that they have multiple locations. Members are more willing to pay higher subscription fees if they aren’t bound by one workout, not to mention that some high-impact workouts like HIIT or Barry’s are likely to cause injury if you suddenly start going everyday. And of course, if you can visit studios throughout London where perhaps there’s one near your home and another near your work, that seems much better value. Particularly when many workers are not in the office or at home everyday and don’t want to commute just for a workout.

The Rise of Smaller STUDIO

The past year has seen a surge in independent fitness studios, particularly Reformer Pilates studios opening outside Zone 1. Many are Instagram-worthy spaces with welcoming, community-driven atmospheres. Mat pilates is also booming, largely because the space can be used for other activities as it doesn’t require expensive, bulky equipment. Workouts like boxing, running-based HIIT and indoor cycling can struggle under the weight of equipment and space reserved for only one activity.

Reformer Pilates

Many studios are turning to Reformer Pilates as it’s currently in high demand. 1Rebel recently announced that its Southbank spin studio is being converted to Reformer, and smaller studios such as the much loved Willow in Clapham is changing from yoga/barre/mat pilates to only Reformer, much to the disappointment of many of its members. The trend doesn’t seem to be reducing though, and studios are still popping up all over the city. Lagree is also starting to increase in popularity for those wanting to try something different to Reformer, with Blood, Sweat & Tears in Islington and Mad Lagree in Mayfair opening up recently. Lagree will likely be one of the big trends of 2026 in London.

Could Barre Be the Next Big Thing?

Alternatively, Barre is a cheaper, more scalable alternative to Reformer and Lagree with lower cost setups and higher accessibility whilst still being great for building lean strength.

Many big studios already offer barre classes, including:

• Barrecore (the OG barre studio)

• Psycle (great barre offerings)

• Triyoga (recently took on Barrecore staff)

• Blok & Frame (solid barre workouts)

Could barre help boutique studios push back against London’s fitness rental crisis?

The Future of Boutique Fitness in London

Boutique gyms are more than just places to work out - they create communities, energise neighborhoods, and make the city more vibrant.

As wellness trends grow and Gen Z drinks less (perhaps), many non-wealthy clients are choosing to invest in boutique fitness. But if rent costs keep rising, the future of mid-range studios is at risk. Studios should either band together for group memberships and studio space (see: Rowbots and FLOW or FS8 and F45), or increase their workout varieties. Studios like Digme struggled because there is an upper limit to how many times you do Spin per week.

Without intervention, we’ll be left with fewer choices, higher prices and fitness scene dominated by luxury gym chains.

What do you think? Have you been affected by London’s gym closures? Drop a comment below or share your thoughts!