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Chipp plans to use CycleBar as a launch platform for other Xponential Fitness models across the UK
Tell us about your background In my early career, health and fitness had been a “side gig”. I come from a family business in the food industry and was always heavily involved in the nutrition side of wellness. You could class me as a fitness “heavy user”; I’ve always been passionate about using functional fitness to get performance gains in sport.
I took the plunge professionally into boutique fitness in 2014 after completing an MBA at London Business School and being exposed to the trends in the market in London, New York and Dubai. I took an indoor cycling instructor certification in 2015 and haven’t looked back since.
You’ve become the master franchisor for CycleBar in the UK. Why CycleBar? I was in the process of designing an indoor cycling concept for the UK and came across CycleBar as part of my global diligence. At that stage, they’d opened 30 studios (now 130). I loved the concept and immediately saw that the values of the business were a great fit with my own. I could see the way the company was going to develop and decided a deal with CycleBar was a great opportunity to bring the world’s leading indoor cycling studio brand to the UK.
What is CycleBar’s USP? It’s all about the experience, from the inclusive, premium service for all ages and fitness levels, to the fun of riding classes led by trained CycleStar instructors in an immersive CycleTheatre with professionally engineered audio, video and lighting technology, custom CycleBeats playlists and CycleStats that track cycling performance and growth. You can opt out if stats aren’t your thing.
I love that CycleBar encourages a community while not taking itself too seriously. We want our riders to have a great time when they exercise with us, while at the same time, they’re making positive choices for their fitness.
How did you come to agree the deal with Xponential Fitness [the company behind CycleBar]? Simply, we just clicked. I travelled over to the company’s new HQ in southern California in February to meet the team at Xponential Fitness.
I think Anthony Geisler, John Kersh and Ryan Junk have put together a superb team at both Xponential Fitness and CycleBar.
We decided to use CycleBar as a launch platform to open opportunities for the wider Xponential Fitness portfolio [of gym franchises] in the UK.
Tell us about the first club We’re really excited about the first UK studio. It’s in Embassy Gardens in Nine Elms, London. Nine Elms is one of the largest urban regeneration projects in Europe. It’s a superb location near the new US Embassy and Battersea power station, which Apple plans to use for its new UK HQ. We aim to launch late summer.
What are your plans for the UK franchise? Growth! The Xponential Fitness business models are designed to work outside the rarefied markets of Manhattan, LA and central London. We know there is demand for boutique fitness outside these areas. Xponential’s Club Pilates and CycleBar have proven this in the US. We aim to do the same across the UK.
CycleBar is the first of the Xponential Fitness brands to cross the pond and launch in the UK, with the first location in London’s Nine Elms development
CycleBar is the first of the Xponential Fitness brands to cross the pond and launch in the UK, with the first location in London’s Nine Elms development
The Spa Life UK Convention returns from 21–23 June 2026 at Whittlebury Park Hotel, Spa &
Golf Resort, bringing together spa managers, directors and owners for two days of focused
education, meaningful connection and commercial insight. [more...]
Chipp plans to use CycleBar as a launch platform for other Xponential Fitness models across the UK
Tell us about your background In my early career, health and fitness had been a “side gig”. I come from a family business in the food industry and was always heavily involved in the nutrition side of wellness. You could class me as a fitness “heavy user”; I’ve always been passionate about using functional fitness to get performance gains in sport.
I took the plunge professionally into boutique fitness in 2014 after completing an MBA at London Business School and being exposed to the trends in the market in London, New York and Dubai. I took an indoor cycling instructor certification in 2015 and haven’t looked back since.
You’ve become the master franchisor for CycleBar in the UK. Why CycleBar? I was in the process of designing an indoor cycling concept for the UK and came across CycleBar as part of my global diligence. At that stage, they’d opened 30 studios (now 130). I loved the concept and immediately saw that the values of the business were a great fit with my own. I could see the way the company was going to develop and decided a deal with CycleBar was a great opportunity to bring the world’s leading indoor cycling studio brand to the UK.
What is CycleBar’s USP? It’s all about the experience, from the inclusive, premium service for all ages and fitness levels, to the fun of riding classes led by trained CycleStar instructors in an immersive CycleTheatre with professionally engineered audio, video and lighting technology, custom CycleBeats playlists and CycleStats that track cycling performance and growth. You can opt out if stats aren’t your thing.
I love that CycleBar encourages a community while not taking itself too seriously. We want our riders to have a great time when they exercise with us, while at the same time, they’re making positive choices for their fitness.
How did you come to agree the deal with Xponential Fitness [the company behind CycleBar]? Simply, we just clicked. I travelled over to the company’s new HQ in southern California in February to meet the team at Xponential Fitness.
I think Anthony Geisler, John Kersh and Ryan Junk have put together a superb team at both Xponential Fitness and CycleBar.
We decided to use CycleBar as a launch platform to open opportunities for the wider Xponential Fitness portfolio [of gym franchises] in the UK.
Tell us about the first club We’re really excited about the first UK studio. It’s in Embassy Gardens in Nine Elms, London. Nine Elms is one of the largest urban regeneration projects in Europe. It’s a superb location near the new US Embassy and Battersea power station, which Apple plans to use for its new UK HQ. We aim to launch late summer.
What are your plans for the UK franchise? Growth! The Xponential Fitness business models are designed to work outside the rarefied markets of Manhattan, LA and central London. We know there is demand for boutique fitness outside these areas. Xponential’s Club Pilates and CycleBar have proven this in the US. We aim to do the same across the UK.
CycleBar is the first of the Xponential Fitness brands to cross the pond and launch in the UK, with the first location in London’s Nine Elms development
CycleBar is the first of the Xponential Fitness brands to cross the pond and launch in the UK, with the first location in London’s Nine Elms development
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, in Malaysia, has revealed a schedule for Global Wellness Day
(GWD) that includes guided rainforest walks, mindful movement and guided coastal meditation
experiences.
Longevitix, a clinical platform for preventive and longevity medicine, has launched its AI-
powered intelligence system to help physicians deliver continuous, personalised longevity-
focused care at scale.
Atmantan Wellness Centre, an integrative wellness destination in Mulshi, near Pune in India, is
expanding its portfolio by adding a new centre in Hyderabad that will launch between 2028 and
2029.
A recent survey by the UK Spa Association (UKSA) into the industry’s approach to cancer care
has revealed that almost half of participating respondents (46 per cent) are unaware that
cancer is a disability and guests with a cancer diagnosis must be given
Mexican operator, Solmar Hotels and Resorts, is hosting a series of events in celebration of
Global Wellness Day, including a Temazcal ceremony at its Playa Grande Resort and Spa in Los
Cabos.
Mandarin Oriental has announced a standalone residence brand, Mansions, which will debut at
Emirates Palace, Mandarin Oriental Mansions, Abu Dhabi, in 2029.
Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai in Hoi An, Vietnam, has put together a Global Wellness Day
(GWD) agenda with activations rooted in nature and shaped by four pillars of Joy – in
alignment with the day’s theme #JoyMagenta.
The Spa Life UK Convention returns from 21–23 June 2026 at Whittlebury Park Hotel, Spa &
Golf Resort, bringing together spa managers, directors and owners for two days of focused
education, meaningful connection and commercial insight. [more...]
