STRONG Pilates is targeting 20 new UK studios in 2027, according to a press release dated 5 November, after seven openings this year took its UK network to 15 studios from eight at the end of 2025. The Australian-born boutique fitness franchise says it is looking for more franchise partners in London and the South East.
The release, issued from London on 5 November and distributed through Fitt Insider, is the only source for the UK figures, and Athletech News carried the story the same day. STRONG Pilates was co-founded in 2019 by Michael Ramsey and Mark Armstrong. The company says it has more than 330 studios operating or in development worldwide, across 15 countries.
Seven UK openings in 2026
The release names three of the seven openings this year: Brighton, Hackney and Kingston. Hackney is in a former Nike store, Brighton in a former kitchen goods shop and Kingston in a former Carluccio’s restaurant. Maidenhead and Harpenden are in the pipeline for the coming months, and Nine Elms in London is confirmed to open in early 2027. It adds that franchisees are exploring West Hampstead, St Albans, White City and Richmond. The names of the other four 2026 studios are not given.
Franchise partners and the studio format
John Hastings, head of franchise development at STRONG Pilates, said finding the right franchise partners is key to growing the brand in the UK, and the company says it is continuing to seek them. Each studio offers a single 45-minute, low-impact workout and has 15 to 20 workout stations. The release gives no UK investment figure, fees or royalties. For how this kind of studio business works, see our guide on how to set up a gym and our listing of gym and fitness franchises.
The global figures behind the UK push
The company says it has 130 studios operating in 15 countries, with a further 200 confirmed to open, and is on track to pass 150 operating studios worldwide by January 2027. It reports 40 studios opened globally this year, membership up 48% to more than 60,500 in September 2026 from 41,000 a year earlier, and more than $75 million in net revenue over the past 12 months. These are company figures, and none is specific to the UK.
What the release does not say
It does not give a UK investment amount, fees, the split between franchised and company-run UK studios, or the names of four of this year’s openings. It is a company release, so the figures have not been independently checked; for the questions a prospective partner puts to any franchisor, see how to choose a franchisor.
