When Milo and the Bull opened its doors in South London, it had all the ingredients of a standout fitness brand: a clear training philosophy, a strong community focus, and a scalable studio model. But just two months later, COVID hit, forcing the team to shut down operations and rethink how they would rebuild.
Today, with three studios across South London and more expansion on the horizon, Milo and the Bull has turned that early disruption into momentum, with ClassPass playing a key role in that journey.
At its core, Milo and the Bull is a class-based strength training studio built around a structured, results-driven approach. The experience is anchored in a 12-week strength block that blends multiple training modalities, including HIIT, reformer Pilates, strength training, and Hyrox-style classes, designed to keep members engaged, progressing, and consistently challenged.
To support different customer preferences, the studio offers a flexible commercial model that combines multiple ways to train and engage with the brand.
“We offer memberships, we also offer class packs and personal training, and then obviously we offer class drop-ins, which lots of people use via ClassPass,” says Julia Shillcock, Milo and the Bull’s Head of Events and Marketing.
Rebuilding after COVID with ClassPass
Launching just before a global shutdown could have derailed the business entirely. After opening in early 2020, Milo and the Bull was forced to pause in-person operations for several months, losing critical early momentum and facing the challenge of rebuilding from near zero once restrictions lifted.
Instead of relying solely on traditional marketing, the team turned to ClassPass to reintroduce the studio to the market and rebuild demand quickly.
“When we reopened, ClassPass was an amazing tool for getting people back into the studio,” Julia explains.
As studios resumed operations, ClassPass played a central role in accelerating recovery for Milo and the Bull by helping the team:
- Rebuild attendance across multiple locations after months of closure
- Introduce the brand to entirely new audiences who were actively looking to get back into fitness
- Drive consistent trial and discovery at a time when consumer habits were still shifting
How ClassPass turns empty spots into opportunity
As Milo and the Bull scaled from a single studio to multiple locations across South London, ClassPass evolved from a recovery tool into a core part of their day-to-day demand optimization strategy.
Rather than treating unsold class spots as lost revenue, the team uses ClassPass to actively manage and rebalance demand across their schedule. In a boutique fitness model, where capacity is fixed, maximizing class utilization is critical to driving revenue and operational efficiency.
The team works closely with ClassPass to identify underperforming time slots, often referred to as “dead spots,” and then runs targeted promotions to increase bookings during those quieter periods.
“[ClassPass] has been really good at spotting our dead spots and then helping us sculpt a promotion,” Julia says.
One clear example is how they approach off-peak classes. Mid-morning sessions, like their recurring 9:30 a.m. class, can be harder to fill through memberships alone due to typical work schedules. But through ClassPass, these classes consistently reach strong attendance.
This works because ClassPass attracts a different type of user, people with more flexible schedules, such as freelancers or remote workers, who are actively searching for classes during non-peak hours.
The result is a more balanced and efficient schedule:
- Off-peak classes stay consistently filled
- Overall studio utilization improves across the full day
- Revenue is generated from inventory that might otherwise go unused
As Julia notes, these are “spots that I don’t think a member would have filled.”
By turning empty spots into bookable opportunities, Milo and the Bull has built a more resilient and optimized operating model—where ClassPass complements memberships, smooths demand, and unlocks incremental growth.
How ClassPass acts as a low-maintenance growth engine
For many fitness businesses, generating consistent, high-quality leads is one of the hardest challenges to solve. Milo and the Bull has experimented with multiple acquisition channels, from paid social and passing out flyers to local advertising, but ClassPass stands out for its efficiency and reliability.
“ClassPass is our lowest maintenance marketing tool… it does the job for us,” Julia explains.
Rather than requiring constant optimization or manual effort, ClassPass consistently delivers high-intent users; people who are actively searching for new fitness experiences and ready to book. Julia describes it as an “unsung hero” of their marketing mix, quietly driving a steady flow of new customers into the studio.
What makes ClassPass particularly valuable is what happens after a user’s first visit. While often viewed as a trial platform, Milo and the Bull sees strong evidence of long-term engagement and loyalty among ClassPass users. “We have ClassPass users who have come 3 days a week for the last 2 years,” Julia says.
Some users have visited hundreds of times, demonstrating that ClassPass can support not only discovery, but sustained, repeat usage. At the same time, it plays a meaningful role in driving membership growth. Many customers first discover the studio through ClassPass, then convert into direct members, and in some cases return to ClassPass later for added flexibility.
Underpinning all of this is a strong foundation of data-driven decision-making.
Beyond bookings, ClassPass serves as a critical operational tool, giving the team visibility into performance across studios, classes, and instructors. They actively use:
- Reviews to monitor coach performance and identify issues
- Reporting to track retention and class utilization
- Market insights to inform pricing and expansion strategy
“That level of control is super, super important to us… being able to draw those reports is integral to how we plan any move with our business.”
Importantly, ClassPass data aligns closely with their Mindbody system, allowing the team to validate insights and make confident, data-backed decisions.
Together, this combination of low-effort acquisition, repeat engagement, and actionable insights makes ClassPass more than just a marketing channel; it’s a scalable growth engine that supports both day-to-day operations and long-term strategy.
Fueling expansion, community, and long-term growth
As Milo and the Bull continues to expand, with a new location and plans to grow beyond South London, ClassPass continues to play an increasingly strategic role in guiding those decisions. From identifying high-demand areas to navigating pricing in competitive markets, the platform provides valuable, data-backed insights that help the team move with confidence. “The inside knowledge of the industry that ClassPass provides is really, really helpful,” Julia notes.
But ClassPass isn’t just a tool for expansion; it’s deeply embedded in the day-to-day success of the business. “ClassPass has been a critical part of building our community and filling our classes,” Julia says. By her estimate, ClassPass users make up a significant portion of daily capacity, contributing not only to class fill rates but also to the overall energy and diversity of the studio environment. These users bring variety into classes, integrate into the community, and play an active role in the studio’s growth.
For Milo and the Bull, this combination of acquisition, demand optimization, and actionable insight makes ClassPass a foundational part of their operating model—not just another marketing channel, but a long-term growth partner.
That foundation is especially important as the business enters its next phase. Following the opening of their new Earlsfield studio in March 2026, the team is continuing to expand its footprint, with plans for another location potentially launching north of the river later this year. As they grow, ClassPass will remain central to driving discovery, informing go-to-market strategy, and supporting successful launches in new neighborhoods.
For other studios considering ClassPass, their recommendation is straightforward. The platform:
- Consistently brings in new, high-intent customers
- Helps optimize unused inventory and maximize capacity
- Provides actionable data to support smarter decisions
- Supports both community-building and sustainable revenue growth
As Milo and the Bull continues to expand, ClassPass remains a consistent driver behind that growth, powering discovery, filling classes, and strengthening community at every stage. What started as a recovery tool has evolved into a long-term engine for sustainable success.
