Common Bond, the parent company of London fitness chains Barrecore, Boom Cycle, KOBOX, Reformcore, and Triyoga, has suddenly closed all its studios, with hundreds of staff saying they have been left without pay.
Here’s everything we know:
When did the studios close?
The company, which charges £2,400 for 12 months of unlimited classes, informed customers via email on Wednesday that it would be shutting down its locations "until further notice".
The email said: "We're sorry to let you know that all Common Bond studios are closed until further notice.
"We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and disruption this may cause . We understand this is frustrating, and we appreciate your patience while we work through this."
How many locations were there?
Common Bond chains were spread across multiple locations in London, including:
Triyoga:
- Shoreditch
- Westminster
- Camden
- Chelsea
Barrecore/ Reformcore:
- Chelsea
- Aldgate
- Notting Hill
- Hampstead
- Wandsworth
Boom Cycle:
- Battersea
- Hammersmith
- Monument
- Shoreditch
KOBOX:
- Liverpool Street
- Marylebone
- Chelsea
Common Bond’s yoga chain, Triyoga, boasted celebrity clients including model Kate Moss and actor Jude Law.
Who has been affected?
The sudden closure of the studios has enraged staff, who claim they have not received their final month of pay which was due on September 17.
In an email seen by the Standard, Common Bond informed Triyoga staff on September 10 that their final payment was to be delayed by “three to four days” while the company underwent an audit by it’s investors.
The email said: “As you are aware, Common Bond is currently undergoing an audit by a third party on behalf of our main investors. Unfortunately, as a result of this process, there is likely to be a short delay to your class payments this month.
“On behalf of the Common Bond team, I am truly sorry for the delay and any worry or inconvenience it may cause. Thank you for your patience, understanding and, above all, for everything you continue to do for our members and our business.”
Staff have said they have been unable to contact anyone at Common Bond since the closure to enquire about their outstanding pay.
An instructor at Triyoga told the Standard that suspicions about the stability of the company were first raised when bailiffs were seen attending one of the chain’s locations in Shoreditch in August.
Later that month, Triyoga missed a payment to its staff, also allegedly due to an investor audit, only agreeing to send it when staff threatened industrial action.
While it’s not yet clear how many customers have been impacted by the studio closures, over one hundred Triyoga staff have appealed to the Independent Worker’s Union of Great Britain (IWGB) to help them get their final payments.
What are the staff saying?
Unions and instructors alike have expressed their outrage at the closures, with one instructor calling it “appalling.”
Chair of IWGB Yoga Teachers Union, Davy Jones, told the Standard: “Triyoga built its reputation on the excellence of its teachers. Now it has left those same teachers in the lurch.
“The studio’s sudden closure without paying workers shows how little priority has been given to the people who keep these businesses running.
“Many instructors rely on their income from Triyoga to pay their rent and feed their families, and do not know how they will make ends meet this month without it.”
Jones went on to say that the union will continue to support workers to “fight to recover every penny they are owed.”
Jonathan, who was an instructor at Triyoga, called the studio’s behaviour “disgusting” adding that it showed no “regard for morals.”
He said: “Common Bond’s treatment of its employees and members has been appalling.
“The communication about what is happening at Shoreditch (where I teach) was so vague. We are currently over a week past the payment due date and there is still no communication about what the updated pay date will be, or whether we will be paid at all.
“Common Bond has taken one of the institutions of the London yoga scene and disgraced their name. They have screwed over hundreds of staff and students with disgusting regard for morals.
“It’s disgusting behaviour.”
Common Bond’s Companies House profile shows the company’s director, Ben Allen, stepped down last month, leaving Gaspar Lipszyc, a Spain-based Belgian national and principal at investment firm Nectar Capital LLP, to pick up the role.
Common Bond has been contacted for comment.
