Exhibit 3.1

CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS

OF

SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK

OF

TOWN SPORTS INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.

(Pursuant to Section 151(g) of the

General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware)

The undersigned, Robert Giardina, Chief Executive Officer, and David M. Kastin, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, of Town Sports International Holdings, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), in accordance with the provisions of Section 151(g) thereof, DO HEREBY CERTIFY:

That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, the said Board of Directors on December 31, 2014, adopted the following resolution creating a series of One Hundred Thousand (100,000) shares of Preferred Stock designated as Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock:

RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Directors of the Company in accordance with the provisions of the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, a series of Preferred Stock of the company be and it hereby is created, and that the designation and amount thereof and the powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of the shares of such series, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof are as follows:

(1) Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be designated as “Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock” (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) and the number of shares constituting the Series A Preferred Stock shall be one hundred thousand (100,000). Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Company convertible into Series A Preferred Stock.

(2) Dividends and Distributions

(a) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of preferred stock of the Company ranking prior and superior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, in preference to

the holders of shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share of the Company (the “Common Stock”) and of any other stock of the Company ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on any regular quarterly dividend payment date as shall be established by the Board of Directors (each such date being referred to herein as a “Dividend Payment Date”), commencing on the first Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1.00 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Company shall at any time after the Issue Date declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

(b) The Company shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1.00 per share on the Series A Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Dividend Payment Date.

(c) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an

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amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may, in accordance with applicable law, fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than such number of days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof as may be allowed by applicable law.

(3) Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

(a) Each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters upon which the holders of the Common Stock of the Company are entitled to vote. In the event the Company shall at any time after the Rights declaration date declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the Certificate of Incorporation or by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Company having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Company.

(c) Except as otherwise set forth herein or as otherwise provided by law, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.

(4) Certain Restrictions.

(a) Whenever dividends or distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Company shall not:

(i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on, or redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;

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(ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other distributions on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;

(iii) except as permitted in Section 4(A)(iv) below, redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock, provided that the Company may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Company ranking junior (as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; or

(iv) purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.

(b) The Company shall not permit any subsidiary of the Company to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Company unless the Company could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.

(5) Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Company in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their retirement become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to any conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein.

(6) Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.

(a) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock of the Company ranking prior and superior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to liquidation, upon any liquidation (voluntary or otherwise), dissolution or winding up of the Company, no distribution shall be made to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up), to the Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have received $1,000 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment (the “Series A Liquidation Preference”). Following the payment of the full

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amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference, no additional distributions shall be made to the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall have received an amount per share (the “Common Adjustment”) equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the Series A Liquidation Preference by (ii) 1,000 (as appropriately adjusted as set forth in subparagraph C below to reflect such events as stock dividends, and subdivisions, combinations and consolidations with respect to the Common Stock) (such number in clause (ii) being referred to as the “Adjustment Number”). Following the payment of the full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference and the Common Adjustment in respect of all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock and Common Stock, respectively, holders of Series A Preferred Stock and holders of shares of Common Stock shall receive their ratable and proportionate shares of the remaining assets to be distributed in the ratio of the Adjustment Number to 1 with respect to such Series A Preferred Stock and Common Stock, on a per share basis, respectively.

(b) In the event there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other series of preferred stock, if any, which rank on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, then such remaining assets available for such distribution shall be distributed ratably to the holders of such parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In the event there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in full of the Common Adjustment, then such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the holders of Common Stock.

(c) In the event the Company shall at any time after the Rights declaration date declare or pay any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the Adjustment Number in effect immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment Number by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

(7) Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Company shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged for or changed into an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In the event the Company shall at any time after the Rights declaration date declare or pay any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such

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case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

(8) Redemption. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.

(9) Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank junior to all other series of the Company’s preferred stock as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the terms of any such series shall provide otherwise.

(10) Fractional Shares. Series A Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share that shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder’s fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series A Preferred Stock.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed on behalf of the Company by Robert Giardina, Chief Executive Officer of the Company on January 2, 2015.