A NEW Pilates studio will open in Edinburgh at the site of a former cafe, nestled in an office block in Fountainbridge.
The plans were given the green light by the City of Edinburgh Council after a planning application was submitted seeking to convert the unique, circular premises overlooking the Lochrin basin into a Pilates studio.
The council approved the plans yesterday, and work will now begin on refitting the premises into a working studio, which has been described as “tech-led” and aimed at making reformer Pilates – a premium variant of the Pilates workout – more accessible.
The studio’s founder and director said that they hope to open their doors to customers by the end of the year.
The Pilates studio will take over a currently vacant premises at 129 Fountainbridge which used to be occupied by the Avka bar and Restaurant, which closed in 2020.
The site was then used as a crazy golf venue with a food and drink element before being used as a cafe.
The building was disused after the closure of the cafe but will now be occupied again after this period of vacancy.
The studio will offer reformer Pilates, a variant of the repetitive exercise pioneered by German physical trainer Joseph Pilates.
Reformer Pilates utilises a special machine which can adapt to the user’s needs, provide a more holistic, effective workout, and is accessible to all levels.
Reformer equipment does not come cheap, however, and classes incorporating the machine are known for being expensive.
Rachel Stott, who submitted the planning application and will serve as the studio’s founder and director, hopes to make reformer Pilates more financially accessible without compromising on quality.
Speaking today, she said: “We’re opening a tech-led reformer studio, essentially aimed at making reformer Pilates more accessible.
“We chose to open in the Fountainbridge area because the concept we’re offering is particularly great for office workers.
“We offer 30–40-minute classes (from early morning to late evening, seven days a week) so people can fit a workout in regardless of their work schedule.”
Rachel says that the concept has been developed with the help of experienced instructors – some of whom are family members.
She says that this experience will be combined with a focus on cutting-edge technology to provide a service which is cheaper and more efficient but will not compromise on quality.
“I’ve been working closely with instructors with decades of experience, including family members, to develop this new concept of tech-led reformer classes, which has allowed us to make workouts that are more affordable without compromising on quality.
“Our pricing is intentionally lower than other studios, but the quality of instruction, the equipment and the general experience is all premium.
“We’ll hopefully be opening our doors before the end of the year, with more info on the concept to come.”
One neighbour of the prospective studio, however, objected to the plans, saying that the glass-fronted site is in a prime location for a customer-facing retail/cafe unit, and that the “highly visible” frontage should be retained for use as a canal-side amenity.
The building circular facade is entirely made of glass and is in a prime location for pavement access.
A covering letter attached to the planning application, however, claims that the studio will be in keeping with the area’s mixed-use character, and will add to the vibrancy of the area.
