Spring 08 Franchise News

Business Franchise

The start of the year has, without doubt, been a busy one for the Business Franchise team. After a successful re-launch, Business Franchise is now boasting a fresh new look, which truly emphasises our unique position in the market as the only official journal of the British Franchise Association and the only official magazine of Franchise exhibitions. We understand that our duty of care is to continue to grow the pool of potential franchisees that are entering the market; our new layout, with enhanced news, expert advice, franchise focuses and new launches, really achieves this. In addition, we have reacted to the growing demands in the market by introducing two new sections for master licence and franchise re-sale opportunities.

The first Franchise exhibition of the year took place in Manchester and Business Franchise, with its Racing Challenge stand, was literally driving the competition amongst franchisors – it was a great way to let exhibitors battle it out on the tracks whilst allowing us to support you during a busy weekend by providing some light relief. Our exhibitor breakfast was also welcomed, especially on day two! Make sure you come and enjoy both of these on our stand at the next exhibition.

The new improvements don’t stop with the Business Franchise magazine. Soon to be re-launched, www.businessfranchise.com is currently being developed by the team. As well as being packed full of essential news and advice, www.businessfranchise.com will make it even faster for potential franchisees to find you.

Our advert booking deadline for the next issue of Business Franchise is 9 April. If you missed the show guide issue this is an ideal opportunity to get in front of all the prospective franchisees that attend The British & International Franchise Exhibition, Olympia, as visitors are sent the next two copies of Business Franchise free.

Field Fisher Waterhouse advises on major South East Asian franchising deal for Reiss

Fashion retailer Reiss has been working with Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP on a multi-million pound franchising deal to open stores across Singapore and Malaysia. The Singapore arm of the franchise will be run and operated by the Wing Tai group of companies and the Malaysian business will be run by the DNP group of companies. Field Fisher Waterhouse has advised Reiss on both the franchise agreements and trademark protection.

Reiss currently has over 45 stores in the UK. The focus of the brand is now truly global and Reiss plans to open wholly owned stores in Europe and the USA whilst continuing to seek appropriate franchise partners in other territories worldwide. The firm plans to open 250 stores worldwide by 2010.

Over the last two years Field Fisher Waterhouse has advised the company on franchising deals that saw the retailer open stores across the Middle East, China and Hong Kong.

Field Fisher Waterhouse has previously worked with fashion retailer H&M on its franchising deal in the Middle East, in addition to a large portfolio of corporate companies including Monsoon, Mango, M&S and Hamleys.

Graeme Payne of Field Fisher Waterhouse said: “Reiss is a long-standing client of the firm. This latest franchising deal will no doubt prove lucrative for Reiss, with the demand for high quality ‘western brands’ in both Singapore and Malaysia growing rapidly.”

 

Putting you in the frame

Franchised art company Trowbridge Gallery has announced its expectations for a healthy UK expansion this year. Having recently completed a major refurbishment of its flagship store on the Kings Road, London, and opened a new gallery in Tunbridge Wells, it is now launching a factory shop in February, and has its sights set on two new locations opening in the spring.

The multi-million pound international art company aims to open between five and ten more boutique-style outlets on high streets and in good secondary locations by the end of 2008, and is looking for suitable franchise partners.

This is all part of a vigorous franchising campaign, which started last year. For the past 25 years Trowbridge has been supplying high-end artwork to the interior design trade throughout the world, and last year it decided to bring its exclusive collections to the high street by establishing a string of galleries throughout the UK.

Trowbridge’s Managing Director, Rob Cork, said: “We have worked hard at getting the franchise package right. We have looked at everything from the artwork we will offer, and the design detail of the galleries, to IT and management support systems. We believe that we have set ourselves a realistic target, one that accommodates a steady growth of our infrastructure and enables us to give our franchisees the highest level of support.”

 

Legally employed?

On 29 February 2007 the Government introduced new penalties for employers who fail to implement the stringent controls of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act (2006).

Employers can face fines of £10,000 and a criminal record for not carrying out identity checks. Up until the Government introduced this new measure, the penalties for not doing this have been small with few checks being carried out. Employers will also have a legal responsibility to check a migrant’s continued right to work in the UK and retaining evidence of having complied with the law.

“Providing guidance to franchisees on what their Human Resources should include is good business practice and may help protect your brand,” said Peter Abraham, Managing Director of HR4UK.com Ltd.

Peter added: “In the world of franchising the bad publicity generated to the brand by the inappropriate actions of a franchisee can be considerable. It therefore seems a sensible precaution for the franchisor to produce clear guidance for their franchisees of what is expected in this area of staff recruitment, control and motivation.”
 

Franchise helps families recover from last year’s floods

Last summer’s floods reportedly cost UK insurers around £3 billion and the Royal Air Force embarked on the largest search and rescue operation ever to be attempted in the UK. Franchise Spettro was also called in to assist families that needed help to get their lives and homes back to normal.

Spettro, with its successful 35-year history as an insurance claim and building repair organisation, deals with claims for burglaries, fire, storms and impact damage to properties. Tony Smith, one of the directors at Spettro, explains why this service is becoming increasingly important: “With Channel 4’s Dispatches now naming 20 places most likely to be at risk of flooding in the UK, we are preparing for future demand for our services.”

Franchisee Graham Calladine began the process of launching his Spettro franchise in Chesterfield and Mansfield last summer. After the Gloucestershire floods struck, Graham was literally thrown in at the deep end, starting a little earlier than he expected to help families around the area when their homes were affected by the severe flooding. Graham earned back over half the cost of his franchise in just one week of trading before he was even intending to start!

“I helped to organise Spettro’s own trade contactors to strip out saturated plaster in flood damage properties, thus removing the stress of home owners competing with neighbours, trying to employ local tradesmen,” explains Graham. Between Graham’s new franchise and the Bradford franchise, Spettro worked on 16 homes in Doncaster so that family life could get back to normal as soon as possible.

The pilot franchise turned over £240,000 in its first year, with a 65 per cent operating profit.