Barrecore and Boom Cycle owner shuts all studios without warning

The owner of boutique fitness brands Barrecore and Boom Cycle has abruptly closed all of its studios, leaving hundreds of paying members locked out and scrambling for answers. Common Bond, the parent company behind both chains, sent an email to customers confirming its locations were shut “until further notice” — offering no timeline, no refunds, and almost no explanation.

The closure affects multiple studios across London, where both brands had built loyal followings over the past decade. Barrecore, known for its ballet-inspired barre classes, and Boom Cycle, a popular indoor cycling concept, together operated around a dozen sites at their peak. Members reported turning up to locked doors this week, with no staff present and no prior warning beyond the terse email.

Members left out of pocket and in the dark

Customers who had paid for monthly memberships or block bookings are now facing an uncertain wait to find out whether they’ll see any money returned. Several took to social media to express frustration, with one member saying she had paid for a three-month package just two weeks ago. Others described having active class credits that are now effectively worthless.

“We understand this will come as disappointing news to our community,” a spokesperson for Common Bond said in a statement, adding that the company was “working through next steps” but declining to give further detail.

That’s cold comfort for members who’d built their fitness routines around the studios.

Questions mount over company finances

Common Bond had already been navigating a difficult post-pandemic landscape. The boutique fitness sector was hit hard by repeated lockdowns between 2020 and 2022, and many operators took on debt to survive. Rising rents in central London and stubborn cost pressures have since squeezed margins across the industry. Boom Cycle alone had closed at least two locations in recent years before this week’s total shutdown.

No administrator has been publicly named as of yet, and it remains unclear whether the company is seeking a buyer, entering formal insolvency proceedings, or simply pausing operations while it restructures. Companies House filings may offer clues in the coming days.

For now, members are advised to contact their banks about potential chargebacks on recent payments. The boutique fitness world is watching closely — and if Common Bond does go under, it won’t be the last casualty in a sector still finding its footing.