Studio Review: East of Eden, Walthamstow
Just a few minutes from the Victoria Line, East of Eden stands out from the typical London boutique studio. It has a warm, grounded feel, a real sense of community, and a lovely café that adds to the relaxed vibe. While many fitness spaces lean into sleek design and minimalist branding, East of Eden feels more lived-in and more welcoming. I’ve chatted with more people here than at any other studio I’ve visited, and the atmosphere reflects that.
I first visited for two reasons:
They offer a generous intro pack: 50 credits for £50, which works out to about five classes.
Ash Newburn, one of my all-time favourite spin instructors (formerly at Boomcycle), now teaches here.
Ash is known for their anti-diet culture approach, queer-inclusive vibe, and pop-heavy playlists. Their spin class didn’t disappoint. The studio has clearly had a refresh - great lighting, big mirrors, and a solid sound system. While cleats aren’t provided, you can bring your own or ride in trainers. Ash, as expected, was fantastic.
Since I had the intro pack, I tried several other classes.
Reformer Pilates
This was the only class that didn’t quite land for me. The instructor didn’t demonstrate moves on the Reformer and offered no hands-on corrections. When instructions were unclear, they were just repeated louder, which made things feel a little awkward as clients clearly didn’t know what move we were meant to be doing.
Barre
Surprisingly impressive. As someone who’s taken many Barrecore classes, I had high expectations - and this instructor delivered. She offered specific corrections I’d never received before and explained form in a really accessible way. Barre can sometimes feel intimidating if you don’t come from a dance background, but her teaching style made it feel inclusive and effective.
Beginners Calisthenics with Finn Love
These are the standout classes. Finn, recently named one of London’s top PTs by The Standard, leads incredibly welcoming, non-intimidating, and very effective sessions.
The classes are structured around progressive stations, so you can scale up toward skills like pull-ups or front levers at your own pace. The vibe is friendly, the structure is smart, and Finn puts a lot of focus on inclusivity of different groups too. I absolutely love these classes and would recommend them to anyone, and people clearly agree with me as there are many of the same regulars each week.
Pricing & Final Thoughts
I’ve genuinely enjoyed my time at East of Eden and will keep going back. Their pricing is also very reasonable:
Since I didn’t love their Reformer classes, £129/month feels like a bargain for unlimited Spin, Strength, Barre, Yoga, Hot Yoga and Mat Pilates. They also offer less common sessions like Beginners Ballet and Sound Gong Workshops. If you do want to include Reformer, £159/month is still good value - even if some classes are hit-and-miss.
Should You Try It?
If you’re after community vibes, inclusive spaces, and a mix of traditional and alternative classes, East of Eden is 100% worth checking out. Just maybe skip Reformer for now.