Exclusive Clubhouse Crumbles: Comfort Castle Abruptly Shuts Down Despite Touting ‘Permanent Membership’ for 18,800 Yuan
Comfort Castle Closes Doors After Promoting Permanent Membership
Comfort Castle, a chain fitness company, announced that it will cease operations today. However, just last month, the company was still promoting “permanent membership” and “10-year membership” to its customers.
According to Comfort Castle’s social page, the company was offering discounts on its membership plans, including a 10-year membership for NT$9,800 and a “permanent membership” for NT$18,800. The company claimed that these membership plans could be used across all branches and would allow customers to participate in any interest classes.
However, many customers who purchased these membership plans are now expressing their disappointment and frustration on social media. Some customers have reported that they had paid for long-term memberships or fitness trainer courses, only to find out that the company is closing its doors.
The Federation of Trade Unions has expressed concern about the incident and has called on workers to file a joint case with the Department of Labor. The Comfort Castle workers’ claims meeting will be held at 4:30 pm today at the Hong Kong Island Department of Labor Office.
Comfort Castle has published a notice on its official website stating that the company will “temporarily close all operations” on September 6, 2024, pending a business reorganization. The company claims that new investors have pledged to continue providing all remaining fitness cards, personal trainer classes, and beauty treatment services free of charge to Comfort Castle customers.
The Consumer Council has received 34 complaints totaling NT$1,902,575 related to the incident. The council has encouraged Comfort Castle to proactively contact affected customers and announce subsequent arrangements for using unused services.
The Consumer Council also recommends that customers prepare records of relevant usage transactions, such as contracts, receipts, credit card slips, and correspondence between traders, to facilitate the processing of their claims.