PRESS RELEASE - Boutique Fitness Standards Fall In London

Press Releases

The Fit Guide 2025: Boutique Fitness Standards Fall In London, No Clubs Earn Top Rating

LONDON, UK – The Fit Guide (TFG), the independent global rating system for boutique fitness clubs and studios, has released its second annual evaluations for London. Widely regarded as the “Michelin Guide for fitness,” The Fit Guide offers anonymous and objective assessments of top-tier clubs, scoring each club across five categories and 250 service and experience standards.

After a tough year for the city’s fitness scene that has seen numerous closures, no London club achieved the coveted Fit Guide 5-Star Award in 2025—down from five recipients last year—signalling a significant drop in boutique fitness standards and excellence.

"This year’s evaluations come off the back of a tough year for London’s fitness scene," said Jack Thomas, Co-Founder of The Fit Guide. “We’ve seen clubs improve in some operational areas, but there was a clear drop in front-of-house hospitality and in-class experience—two crucial components of premium service.”

Despite the overall drop at the top, The Fit Guide’s evaluations also revealed areas of progress:

Key London 2025 Stats

Zero 5-Star Award winners (down from five in 2024)
Cycling clubs saw the largest drop in standards and average score, falling from 84% to 77%
Before and after class service scores fell significantly, from 75% to 69%
Sales and retention—the lowest scoring area globally—dipped further from 43.9% to 43.2%

Improvements and Bright Spots

Staff showing genuine interest in clients increased from 21.4% to 30.6%
Front desk name usage rose from 29.3% to 45.7%
Post-class departure service rose from 46.2% to 54.5%
Public Areas, Digital & Technology and Equipment & Studio categories all saw modest improvements

Matt Lavender, Co-Founder of The Fit Guide, noted, “We remain committed to raising the standard of fitness experiences globally. While London didn’t reach the same level as last year, these evaluations are a reminder on the importance of experience and hospitality, and an important step toward long-term progress.”

The Fit Guide continues to expand globally, providing data-driven insights that empower clubs to improve and guide fitness enthusiasts toward the world’s leading gyms and experiences. Their weekly podcast and YouTube show, Five-Star Fitness, provides tips and hospitality guidance for club owners and managers.

For London’s full 2025 results and club ratings, visit:

https://thefitguide.com/cities/london/clubs

Connect with The Fit Guide: Media / Interview Queries to press@thefitguide.com

Other Stats and Info

Overview:

The Fit Guide is an independent rating system that recognizes and evaluates the world’s leading boutique fitness clubs and studios. Often described as the 'Michelin Guide for fitness,' it provides a trusted, data-driven benchmark for the fitness industry. All evaluations are conducted by highly-trained, anonymous ‘experience evaluators’ who visit the clubs incognito.

Award Structure:

Clubs scoring over 70% receive the Recommended rating.
Clubs scoring over 80% receive The Fit Guide Award of Excellence.
Clubs scoring over 90% earn The Fit Guide 5-Star Award, recognizing the highest level of excellence.
The Class Experience 5-Star Award is awarded to clubs delivering an industry-leading class experience, based solely on group class performance.

OVERALL AWARD WINNERS

Covers the complete member journey across all five categories: Reception Services, Class Experience, Equipment & Studio, Public Areas, Digital & Technology

THE FIT GUIDE 5-STAR AWARD WINNERS

Clubs that score over 90% in our anonymous evaluation process across the whole experience.

No London five-star award-winning clubs in 2025.

THE FIT GUIDE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE WINNERS

Clubs that score over 80% in our anonymous evaluation process across the whole experience.

1Rebel - Angel

1Rebel - High Street Kensington

1Rebel - Oxford Circus

Barry's - London Central

BXR - Canary Wharf

BXR - City

F45 - Oxford Circus