'They didn't tell us upfront': True Fitness staff, gym members caught off-guard by sudden closure

SINGAPORE: True Fitness and True Yoga’s abrupt closure on Friday (Sep 11) morning caught members by surprise, with several turning up at outlets to confirm the news.

Some expressed resignation, citing gyms and other retail businesses that have shuttered suddenly in the past. Others said they would try to recoup fees for the unused portions of their memberships or packages.

One member told CNA she paid over S$6,000 (US$4,700) for a “lifetime” membership eight years ago, which gave her access to True Fitness clubs across Asia. The 43-year-old starts every morning with a workout at a True Fitness gym.

“Suddenly, I feel lost. Like I woke up – what am I going to do this morning? I think a lot of people feel that way,” she told CNA outside the True Fitness gym at Great World shopping mall.

“It’s sad because we forged a lot of friendships in this gym,” she added. “Most of the sentiments of the members here (are) it wasn’t just a gym, it was really considered home.”

She decided to check the outlet, which is the nearest to her home, after hearing chatter about the closure among members on Thursday night, and seeing the news on Friday morning. 

True Group operates 10 fitness centres in Singapore across three brands: True Fitness, TFX and Yoga Edition. Its parent company is Hong Kong-listed Kontafarma China Holdings, which filed a bourse listing on Thursday night stating that the directors of True Fitness and True Yoga in Singapore were unable to continue business due to their liabilities.

The company cited "unprecedented" challenges including competition from boutique gyms, exercise facilities in condominiums and private residences, and the rise of digital training options. 

The fitness centres are closing as part of the liquidation process, with insolvency practitioners provisionally appointed.

True Group, which was established in Singapore in 2004, earlier pulled out of Malaysia and Thailand in 2017, and Taiwan in 2025.

The mismanagement of the closures of the Malaysia and Thailand businesses was the subject of a lawsuit in Singapore, which True Fitness and True Yoga won against True Group's founder and then-CEO in 2022.

A High Court judge found that Mr Patrick John Wee Ewe Seng, who is no longer CEO, had allowed the sale of long-term memberships while knowing that they faced impending closure.

MORE CAUTIOUS NEXT TIME

When CNA arrived at the Great World outlet at about 10am, representatives of the landlord were inside the unit, with no gym employees on site. A sign outside stated that the landlord, GWC Commercial, had re-entered the premises and the tenancy was forfeited as a result.

It was a similar picture at Millennia Walk, where True Group's exercise facilities take up more than 41,000 sq ft on the mall's second floor. No employees were present on Friday morning, and a sign at the entrance listed email addresses for members to contact the provisional liquidators.

At Great World, the 43-year-old True Fitness customer told CNA that members had been told by staff about a month ago that the outlet's last day would be Sep 13 due to "lease alignment" issues. But members had thought they would be able to continue exercising at other outlets.

While she felt newer members should seek refunds, she said it was "not worth the effort" for her to try to recoup some of her fees. 

Accountant Rita Carolina, 45, who regularly took yoga and pilates lessons three to four times a week during her lunch hour, stopped by the Millennia Walk outlet on Friday to see the shuttered facilities. 

She told CNA that it was not just members but instructors who were caught off-guard by the closure. 

Her three-year Yoga Edition membership is nearing its November expiry, but she had recently paid over S$1,000 for 50 pilates sessions, of which she has used only about half. She is considering whether to try to get some money back for the unused classes.

Retiree Eddy Koh, 65, paid S$2,640 upfront in June for a two-year True Fitness membership with one year of complimentary access. 

"I thought that because they've been around for so long, they will be very reliable," he said, adding that he had also had a good experience at the group's TFX gym some years ago.

“They were still collecting membership, encouraging everyone to join even though they knew that they were in dire straits already.”

Mr Koh said he was pessimistic about his chances of a refund under consumer protection laws, but would contact True Fitness regardless to try to recoup some losses. 

He has also resolved to keep to year-long or monthly memberships at his next gym.

OVER S$63,000 IN LOSSES: CASE

The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) said it has received 28 complaints as of Friday from members affected by the closure, with reported losses of more than S$63,000 in unutilised memberships, packages and services.

CASE president Melvin Yong said the association had reached out to the provisional liquidator and would continue seeking clarification on the arrangements for affected consumers, including the information they would need to lodge claims. 

He added that consumers with unutilised memberships or prepaid packages with True Fitness or True Yoga could approach CASE for assistance.

"CASE is concerned about the impact of sudden business closures on consumers, particularly where consumers have paid upfront for long-term memberships or packages," he said.

Mr Yong encouraged consumers to exercise caution when making large upfront payments for services, and to consider shorter-term payment arrangements where possible before signing up for a package. 

He added that CASE would continue to engage the government and industry on measures to strengthen consumer protection against prepayment losses.