1Rebel signs lease for new flagship in London's Chelsea as it invests in new premium design concept
by Kath Hudson | 01 May 2025
1Rebel to open new flagship site in Chelsea, at former Kobox
CEO, James Balfour, says the brand is being premiumised, with a new approach to lighting and interior design
This is one of five 1Rebel’s planned for launch in the next 12 months
Another new studio opens in London's Euston this month, with an outdoor recovery area
1Rebel has announced it will be opening a flagship site in Chelsea this summer, along with four more studios over the course of the next year.
The site at 107 Kings Road was formerly tenanted by United Fitness Brands’ (UFB) offering three of its concepts: Barrecore, Reformcore and its only remaining Kobox location. The UFB business has now formally closed and the landlord has taken back control of the building.
Due to open in July/August the new 1Rebel will offer Reformer, Reshape and Reset – the 1Rebel recovery concept.
CEO of 1Rebel, James Balfour, told CLAD the company signed a lease on the space on 30 April, saying “We’ve wanted to be in Chelsea for a long time, but it’s been hard to find sites, there isn’t much new-build happening and it’s difficult to find suitable spaces in older buildings.
“The plan is to spend a significant amount to bring this location up to the 1Rebel standard and it will have a more mature design sensibility as part of our drive to premiumise the business,” he said.
Balfour also spoke about plans to go more up market: “We’re investing in our existing estate and our new clubs to elevate the concept and create a more premium offering.
“This involves using lighting and design specialists and focusing on dwell areas, such as F&B.
“The introduction of the Reset recovery concept is also key to our premiumisation strategy," he explained. "We view any sites with all three concepts as flagships.”
An additional site in Euston will open at the end of May, offering the same mix of Reformer, Reshape and Reset.
The Euston club will occupy the lower ground floor of the Mainframe building, which is 50 metres from Euston station and has recently been redeveloped.
Euston will be the first 1Rebel location with an outside space and will have two Brass Monkey cold plunges and a Nordic sauna in an outdoor Reset recovery area.
After taking on investment from Imbiba last May, there are plans for more sites in the capital. “Over the next 12 months, including Chelsea and Euston, we’ll be opening five new sites in central London,” says Balfour. “London does feel busier and busier. The 1Rebel business overall is doing better than it’s ever done.”
James Balfour 1Rebel Chelsea Imbiba United Fitness Brands Kobox
James Balfour says business is better than ever Credit: 1Rebel
1Rebel has announced it will be opening a flagship site in Chelsea this summer, along with four more studios over the course of the next year. The site at 107 Kings Road was formerly tenanted by United Fitness Brands’ (UFB) offering three of its concepts: Barrecore, Reformcore and its only remaining Kobox location. The UFB business has now formally closed and the landlord has taken back control of the building.
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