A NEW pilates studio aiming to create a “boutique” and intimate class experience has opened its doors in Fenton Barns.
Maeve, founded by Ciara Gigleux, officially launched its East Lothian site on Monday following a sold-out taster week.
Originally from Dundee, the 34-year-old founder now lives in Edinburgh and is "excited to branch outwards to East Lothian" as the business continues to build on its success in Edinburgh, where she opened with her first studio in Bruntsfield in 2023 and a second in Leith a year after.
After starting her career as an archaeology academic, she went on to set up her own digital marketing business eight years ago before turning her focus to pilates.
She said: "I got into it through attending classes.
"I find it hard to switch off and I was doing yoga but it wasn't quite for me, so I thought I would give pilates a go.
"Because you have to focus on what you're doing, concentration is one of the fundamentals, it gives that break from incessant chatter in your mind."
Her studio will offer mat pilates, sculpt sessions as well as reformer pilates, which uses a specialist machine, like a bed, to support and add resistance to exercises.
Ciara said that, although it seemed intimidating at first, she tried reformer pilates after undergoing an emergency c-section for the birth of her daughter, Maeve.
“After having an emergency c-section, the idea of lying on a mat wasn’t appealing, but the reformer looked more supportive," she said.
From there, her interest in pilates deepened and she decided to retrain as a pilates instructor.
She said: "I wanted to do something physical and enjoy the work experience, so I thought just go for it and it’s been amazing ever since.”
She said that the move into East Lothian felt like a natural next step, with Fenton Barns offering a central location for surrounding towns and villages.
The new studio aims to deliver what she describes as a “boutique experience” with small class sizes, typically of six people, designed so participants can get personalised advice from the instructor and foster a sense of "genuine community".
She added: “It means you get proper attention from the teachers.
“We want it to have that community, intimate feel.
"We’ve built up quite a community at the other locations and hold events and socials; we want it to be more than just a studio but a space where people naturally become friends in the classes.”
Maeve will run classes seven days a week, with a timetable designed to accommodate a range of lifestyles.
The studio will also offer pre and post-natal sessions, alongside 'bring your baby' classes.
And to mark the opening, an introductory offer of two classes for £30 is currently available.
“If you’ve never been before, it’s about bridging that gap and getting rid of that fear," she said.
"You really should come if you’ve wanted to try it and never have."
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