The classes are being held in Dubai, for people from London
UAE based fitness chain GymNation is dividing opinion after unveiling an advertising campaign offering Londoners the chance to “escape” to Dubai for a Self-Defence retreat. The idea is a fresh “solution” to restore confidence amid a phone theft epidemic, according to GymNation CMO, Rory McEntee.
Giant billboards have appeared in Hackney and Southwark, two of the worst hotspots for phone thefts in the capital, while guerilla posters in Soho, and advert bikes in Oxford Street have also been spotted promoting the Self-Defence retreat. O ne social media user kristy_alina said: “Tbh they created a phone theft hotspot as everyone scans the QR code. ”
Another user asked “Do they pay for your flights and hotel ” and YourKemosabe said “Scan quick before your phone gets nicked” made me chuckle I won’t lie.”
Spumar said: “I’ve seen people getting their phones snatched four times this year, last time it was to an elderly person, does make you consider leaving”
And NowoTone asking “I always ask myself why this is such a London problem” Eliana_poppycollins said “I wouldn’t get my phone out to scan that in E&C”
McEntee said: “This campaign is incredibly timely, with the Met Police just announcing a new dedicated Chief to find new tactics to tackle phone thefts in London – and the theft figures are staggering”.
According to Met Data, phone robberies last year hit a record high of more than 80,000 cases. Jason Woodham, who’ll be leading the Self-Defence retreat said : “It’s a misconception that learning self-defence is just about physical aggression, but actually it teaches you vital skills to reclaim your confidence, be more self aware, and feel empowered. We’re not advocating aggression – we’re teaching composure.
“When people feel strong, they make better decisions. They run if they must, they speak up when they can, and they stop living like victims”.
The Self-Defence retreat combines physical training, stress management, and urban awareness workshops, teaching participants how to project calm confidence and defuse threats before they escalate.
McEntee added: “We’re not telling people to fight crime with fists – we’re telling them to stop surrendering to fear. Londoners are proud, resilient people. They deserve to feel confident and safe walking down the street and commuting to and from their place of work so we created the dedicated Self-Defence retreat to help restore that confidence – and who wouldn’t want to come to Dubai.
“It’s the safest place in the world, and the weather isn’t bad either – since we ran the promotion, we’ve had hundreds of requests for Brits to attend the class”.
Official figures show ‘theft-person’ offences have jumped by 41% in London since 2024, according to the ONS, with nearly half of all phone thefts occurring in the UK’s capital .
