Business Franchise articles from April 2003

Business Franchise archives from April 2003

Scott completes his NatWest franchise team.(franchise news)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... NatWest, which prides itself on being the lead bank in franchising, has completed its new management team with the appointment of Colin Chadwick and Chris Coltham. Chadwick will be managing the bank's relationship with franchisors in the...

MBE'S thorn packs them in.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Clive Thorn, MBE's Leeds franchisee, has found a specialist and lucrative niche in the antiques market--arranging the movement of valuable and fragile goods to buyers all over the UK and around the world. Packing and shipping is just one...

A match made in heaven.(mergers and acquisitions)
April 1, 2003... The 131-strong network of franchisees with disaster restoration company Rainbow International congregated at Notts County Football Club to meet representatives of the ISS Group, which acquired the UK operation at the end of last month. The...

Seven-up in one day for United.(franchise news)(United Carpets)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Newcomer United Carpets has Launched with a bang, opening seven franchised outlets in a single day. United Carpets made its first major franchise recruitment effort at the National Franchise Exhibition in Birmingham in October--and came...

Cash takeaway for Domino's.(franchise news)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Domino's Pizza plans to open 50 more stores in 2003 to take advantage of continued growth in the home-delivered food market, which was estimated to be worth 1.058 [pounds sterling] billion Last year. Pizza is the single largest category in this...

Little bit of Devon for Bartercard.(franchise news)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The South Devon area is the first of a number of new openings expected by Bartereard UK, the country's leading trade exchange, this year. The South Devon franchisee is Colin Richards, the former proprietor of the Gara Rock Hotel near...

Ovenu launches 50th franchise.(franchise news)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Oven-valeting franchise Ovenu has experienced spectacular recruitment success in the past year, culminating in the launch of its 50th franchisee in York. Ovenu has been trading since 1994, providing a professional oven valeting service to...

York pair make drain doctor a family matter.(franchise news)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Father and son team Don and Neil Stephenson have launched a Drain Doctor Plumbing franchise together in Yorkshire. They will initially service the area between Harrogate and Scarborough with two vans, aiming to build up a multi-van...

Sweet sixteen for chips.(franchise news)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... CHIPS, one of the UK's leading video games retailers, is celebrating the opening of its 16th store--and its second in a month. CHIPS Yeovil is the company's tenth franchise outlet and its furthest south to date. Franchise veteran Peter...

Hitchin man in kitchen plan.(franchise news)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Steve Sanders had joined kitchen franchise In-toto as southern area franchise manager. Steve comes to In-toto with considerable experience in the kitchen industry having worked for Symphony for 15 years, latterly as key accounts manager....

Lisa's luck wins her the signs express treatment.(franchise news)(Lisa Allen)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Communications manager Lisa Allen has a chance to get away from the stress and strain of office life for a day of being pampered at the Henlow Grange Hearth Spa after winning a competition staged by the UK and Ireland's largest signs company,...

Bangers and splash.(customer service management)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Dyno Rod engineer Joe Duffy experienced one of the most bizarre episodes of his career when a property owner for whom he'd unblocked a toilet insisted on checking his work by flushing away a packet of sausages, one at a time. For Joe, who...

Weight slides off.(franchise news)(Sliderobes)(WW Group Inc.,)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Fitted wardrobes franchise Sliderobes is to be an associate sponsor of Weightwatchers Member of the Year for the Northern Ireland region. As part of their prizes, the winning male and female members will each have wardrobes fitted by...

Wimpy reinvents the chicken.(franchise news)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Wimpy is launching a new spicy offering based on the core Chicken in a Bun product in deference to the British public's insatiable appetite for chicken. The Chicken in a Bun was first adopted in the summer as part of Wimpy's Best of British...

Back to basics: absolute beginners start here.(BFA news)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... HOW DO I FINANCE NY FRANCHISE? If you are considering setting up a franchise, take objective independent advice. The BFA provides a basic level of comfort for prospective franchisees by accrediting franchise companies for membership--on a...

Scots get the message.(British Franchise Association's free awareness event)
April 1, 2003... FRANCHISE FIRST That's the title for the FREE Franchise awareness event being run by the British Franchise Association's Franchise Group for Scotland at the Livingston Football Club, in Livingston on Saturday 12th April 2003 from 10 am to...

Franchising puts in its best-ever performance.(British Franchise Association )
April 1, 2003... You couldn't fail but be impressed by the results announced in March from the 2003 BFA/NatWest UK Franchise Survey. Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, the UK franchising industry had turned in its best results ever--9.5 billion [pounds...

A better deal from the loan arranger: small business minister Nigel Griffiths says that changes the government has made to the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme following pressure from the franchising industry mean that thousands more would-be entrepreneurs will find it easier to get bank finance.(franchise advice)
April 1, 2003... WHEN I TALK TO small business owners, many of them tell me about the problems they had obtaining finance. Because entrepreneurs, particularly new start-ups, often lack the security necessary to obtain a loan, banks and other financial...

My home is my castle: the home improvement market is massive, with a wide variety of franchise opportunities to suit your particular interests--and your budget. Barbara Oaff investigates what's available.(Home Improvement Franchises)
April 1, 2003... NOT FOR NOTHING do people say that an Englishman's home is his castle. This age-old adage now applies to most people across the UK--we are a houseproud lot. And this is great news for people interested in investing in a franchise in the home...

Franchises for 100,000 [pounds sterling]-plus: in this, the final part of our series exploring what kind of business you can buy within your budget, we look at some of the more expensive opportunities--those that will cost you more than 100,000 [pounds sterling].(Franchises for 100,000-plus [pounds sterling])
April 1, 2003... THE REWARDS OF running a substantial operation can be great but so can the demands. The hours are typically long. The challenges are generally commensurate with the returns. Only very good all-rounders need apply. But if you have financial,...

Three muted cheers for a steady year: NatWest/BFA survey: the NatWest/BFA survey of franchising for 2002 shows only modest gains in numbers and turnover--but that's no mean achievement at a time when bankruptcies are running at their highest [eve[ for many years, says NatWest's national franchise manager Mark Scott.(Franchise news)
April 1, 2003... THIS YEAR'S NatWest/British Franchise Association survey, now in its 19th year, has shown further stabilisation in franchising, with small increases in the key measures. The research found that there are now 677 franchisors in the UK, ala...

Big in print: Kall Kwik is one of the major success stories of the high street and has made the fortunes of many franchisees. If you're hard-working and have the special attitudes and aptitudes the company is looking for, it offers a bright and prosperous future.(Kall Kwik)(Cover Story)
April 1, 2003... MANY PEOPLE ARE looking at their current lifestyle and thinking that they need a change of direction. They want to take control of their futures and their incomes. There's never been a better time to make the move and employ your hard-won...

Shop tactics: having just opened its flagship store, TaxAssist Direct has ambitious plans to have all its franchises in shop fronts by 2010.(TaxAssist Direct Ltd)
April 1, 2003... NOT ALL OF US have a head for figures, but if you are that way inclined or even have managerial qualities and wish to develop into the financial field. TaxAssist Direct could be the company for you. Born in 1995, TaxAssist Direct Ltd was...

Sliderobes builds UK business.(In focus: Sliderobes)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... SLIDEROBES, the leading fitted wardrobe company in Ireland, is concentrating its expansion plans on its UK franchise network after filling every available Irish territory--and in a few short months it has already put franchise partners in place...

Clear out and cash in: with 5billion [pounds sterling] worth of unwanted goods in our homes, Cash Generator founder Brian Lewis has plans to turn it into money, and maybe pick up a bargain for himself, too!(Cash Generator)
April 1, 2003... CASH GENERATOR, which specialises in buying and selling unwanted goods, has reached a turnover of 100million [pounds sterling] just eight years after it was founded by Brian Lewis. 'Cash Generator outlets are growing at a phenomenal rate...

Domino's Pizza--delivering success.(Progress report: Domino's)(Domino's Pizza L.L.C.,)
April 1, 2003... AT DOMINO'S PIZZA demand for a slice of the business among UK and Irish entrepreneurs has reached an all-time high, and there is always at least one franchisee waiting for every new site acquired. So why is the company still looking for new...

Success in black and white.(Cartridge World)
April 1, 2003... AFTER JUST TWO YEARS, Cartridge World has opened its 100th store in the UK. David Darling, who the franchise's Parkstone, Dorset franchisee in 2001, has since opened a second store in Christchurch and a third in Winton, Bournemouth, bringing...

That Cafe brings you the best of two worlds.(combining coffeehouses and cybercafes)
April 1, 2003... Main entry: Sym * bi * o * sis Pronunciation: "sim-bE-'O-s&s, noun Etymology: New Latin, from German Symbiose, from Greek symbiOsis state of living together. 1: the living together in more or less intimate association or close union...

Printing.com--a shift in the paradigm! printing shops without printing presses are just the first and most visible facets of a bold newcomer's plans to 'reinvent the wheel' in a lucrative high street niche.
April 1, 2003... PRINTING STORES HAVE long been the cornerstone of business-to-business franchises, with some 500-plus franchised outlets throughout the UK, including of course the familiar names of Prontaprint, Kall Kwik, Alphagraphics, PDC Copyprint and...

Guaranteed success from Bella Casa: domestic cleaning franchise Bette Casa has established itself strongly in the Midlands. It now seeks franchisees to help drive the network out across the country and offers solid guarantees to ensure that they'll have business from day one.
April 1, 2003... THINKING ABOUT STARTING YOUR own business? Working for yourself can be very rewarding--both financially and in being able to organise year own time. However, setting up a business yourself can be a daunting experience. Where do I start? How do...

Silver lining on the redundancy cloud: a major change in personal circumstances, such as redundancy, can be the spur that sets a stifled entrepreneur on the road to success says The Royal Bank of Scotland's national franchise manager Alan Smart.
April 1, 2003... FOR MANY PEOPLE it takes a sudden change in lifestyle or an unexpected event to make them seriously consider what was once a thought at the back of their mind setting up their own businesses. In some cases this sudden lifestyle change may...

Show guide: Wenbley Conference Centre, London 4 & 5 April 2003.(Calendar)
April 1, 2003... A-Z list of exhibitors 7 Camicie F50 Abacus Care F75 AC Jean Samper IP Action International ...

List of exhibitors by category.(Exhibitor listing)(Illustration)
April 1, 2003... ACCOUNTANTS/TAX ADVISORS Auditel & Expense Reduction Analysts A10 Certax Accounting B145 TaxAssist Direct A70 AUTOMOTIVE ATG...

Driving your business to new levels: essential advice & support for start-ups & small businesses.
April 1, 2003... List of exhibitors Business Link for London SY300 Businessesforsale.com SY60 Carter Backer Winter SY185 Comms Logistics SY120...

Lincary is just the job: Lincary Recruitment is new to franchising, but has an established track record of success in its field as a private company, and partner Karen Lambert is a former franchisee who knows all the pitfalls and can help her own people avoid them.
April 1, 2003... 'THOSE ENTERING THE WORLD of franchising may encounter a rich cocktail of heady excitement balanced by a tear of the unknown. This we understand, so we're not going to offer market puffery or create dreams of easy success. Starting up a...

The missing link: last June, Interlink Express launched its worldwide express service from the UK and soon realised a market with giants and minnows needed something in between.
April 1, 2003... INTERLINK EXPRESS introduced its new global express service. Chronopost International, at a time when market analysis was far from promising. After September 11, global air express volumes and revenues were down and confidence in the...

Surelet offers the profit without the paperwork: new franchise Surelet helps business owners capitalise on the burgeoning housing rental market while taking off their shoulders the tedious and unprofitable day-to-day running of property contracts.(Surelet)
April 1, 2003... THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN a thriving lettings industry in Britain, but it experienced a massive boost five years ago when buy-to-let mortgages captured the public imagination and huge numbers of people began investing in rental property. Today...

Dessie does Dallas: well, Texas anyway--but it's a good headline. Business Franchise spares no expense to bring you the latest developments in the global franchise industry, so we sent Des Garnier to America for the International Franchise Association's annual convention.(Franchise news: the International Franchise Associations)
April 1, 2003... THE INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION is the trade body for the American franchise industry and is the US equivalent of the BFA, but, as the saying goes, everything is bigger in America. The US franchise industry turns over $1 trillion per...

Recycling plan from Lasertech.(Lasertech)
April 1, 2003... LASERTECH HAS INTRODUCED a national recycling scheme for printer consumables that helps the environment, benefits charities, conforms to new European laws and makes better business for franchisees. The fast-growing company is the only...

On par for success: the golfing season is once again in full swing and millions of golfers are venturing back onto the golf course after a winter of inactivity--but with 10,000 golf-related injuries each year, only a smart percentage of them have the specialist insurance cover they need.(Golfplan International Insurance)
April 1, 2003... EASTER IS THE time for golf to dust off their clubs and venture out onto the course, whatever the weather. And as the numbers on the fairway increase, so do the risks associated with the game--not least of them the thieves who make a lucrative...

Greater than the sum of its parts: MRI Worldwide is a blue-chip operator in the global executive search market, offering franchisees a support network that reaches every country that matters and every company that counts.(MRI Worldwide)
April 1, 2003... IT'S 6PM IN SHANGHAI and an MRI Worldwide consultant has just spoken to a colleague in Switzerland. They are working together on an MRI search assignment and are close to placing a senior candidate in a key role for a Swiss company in China. In...

Food for thought from fast-expanding Hot Bite: after just twelve months in franchising the outstandingly successful Hot Bite concept is expanding and adapting to new market possibilities and needs high-quality franchisees to match a high-quality product.(Progress report: Hot Bite)
April 1, 2003... A NEW REPORT SUGGESTS that throughout Europe, the traditional lunchtime meal is being reduced to a hurried sandwich and longer working hours and increased snacking are fast becoming the norm. Indeed, increasingly hectic consumer lifestyles have...

Signs that point to a profitable franchise: business is booming for Signs Express as companies increasingly turn away from expensive TV, radio and newspaper advertising and instead opt for more eye-catching and cost-effective promotional signage.(Signs Express)
April 1, 2003... TAKE A MOMENT to consider the breadth of the signage market. Signs form an integral part of our society and are used in a variety of forms to communicate messages--anything from a company logo above a retail outlet to a full-colour vehicle wrap...

Perfectly balanced for a brighter future: cleaning services are in demand whatever the state of the economy, and the growth performance of Minster Cleaning Services has been outstanding in times of plenty and in times of recession. Now, sales are growing at the rate of 3 million [pounds sterling] a year.(Minster Services Group)
April 1, 2003... AS MANAGING DIRECTOR of Minster Services Group, one of the UK's most successful franchise operators. Alan Haigh is convinced that maintaining a balanced relationship between franchisee and franchisor has been one of the most important factors...

Bike medic builds a business from scratch: a franchise that flawlessly repairs expensive motorcycle panels that would otherwise have to be replaced makes its money by saving customers' money.(Car Medic)
April 1, 2003... MODERN MOTORCYCLES ARE prohibitively expensive to repair due to the complex nature of their tailor-made panels, mostly fashioned out of hi-tech resins and specialist paint dyes. Insurance companies have been known to write off a virtually...

Making the right move: the Countrywide Assured Group has a network of more than 800 branches, including the nationally acclaimed brand Bairstow Eves, and offers franchisees the benefits of being part of the UK's largest estate agency group.(Bairstow Eves)
April 1, 2003... COUNTRYWIDE ASSURED GROUP, the UK's largest estate agency, launched its franchising division just three years ago aiming to expand the coverage of its main brand Bairstow Eves by up to 500 outlets. With 50 new branches already opened and 100...

Net gains for Snap-on franchisees: you may think that manufacturing and setting toots is a classic, old-economy, low-tech business, but Snap-on has gained a reputation for world-class e-commerce solutions as well as for top-quality toots. Now they have launched a state-of-the-art intranet exclusively for their franchisees. Des Garnier went surfing in Kettering.(Snap-On)
April 1, 2003... IN THE WORLD OF professional mechanics, Snap-on has enjoyed a legendary reputation for premium tools and equipment since 1920, but now wins as many plaudits for its use of technology as it does for its heritage products. IT bible...

You're never alone in the LMI family: long-established training and development franchise Leadership Management International operates in 60 countries and prides itself on offering its franchisees a level of support and back-up that is virtually unique in the industry.(LMI- Leadership Management UK Limited )
April 1, 2003... IF YOU'VE WANTED to quit the rat race for a while but you're still unsure of what your next step should be, then investing in a franchise may be the right option for you. However, in some cases the franchisor offers minimal support to help you...

New deal from Chemex: recession-proof cleaning products franchise Chemex International has developed a comprehensive new package that makes its franchise offer even more attractive.(Chemex)
April 1, 2003... THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE move away from the commuter queues every year, searching for an alternative lifestyle that will give them independence, a secure income and a chance to develop their own businesses. Franchising offers these people a...

No time to waste at Bin Masters: Andrew Quail needs more than a fast car to keep up with the phenomenal demand that Bin Masters has experienced since its launch last year. With the backing of parent company MDRC the pace of expansion looks set to continue.(Progress report: Bin Masters)(MDRC Group Limited)
April 1, 2003... ANDREW QUAIL EXPECTS his Subaru Forester to clock up some serious mileage this year. As franchise director of the cautiously expanding Bin Masters commercial waste container refurbishment franchise, he expects to recruit 15 franchisees this...

Buying into a market leader.(Resale Of The Month)
April 1, 2003... OFFICE CLEANING management is an essential service and Minster is a UK market leader with over 6,000 blue chip clients. Now, there are opportunities to invest in two established franchise areas--Bristol and Berkshire--each with an annual...

Dream-catchers, or just continued nightmares? Are the self-employed the cowboys, and the taxmen the Native Americans? And when it comes to self-assessment, who is in pursuit of whom and how much can you get away with? To the mathematical mind the answer is--not a lot.
April 1, 2003... SCHOOL SUMS WERE my downfall Adding, dividing, multiplying and subtracting caused me intense grief. The only area I managed was geometry, and then only with the use of an unsubtle pun. Big Chief Running Scared lived with his three squaws in...

Need to know ... almost a million of us missed the tax deadline, and the Treasury's 90million [pounds sterling] richer for it in fines alone. But do we begrudge them the money? Dr Barrie Pennington has his own views.(Franchise advise)
April 1, 2003... VERY LIMITED The Federation of Small Businesses thinks that the Treasury is pushing small firms into incorporation so that tax collection can be made easier. The FSB believes there is a hidden agenda behind consecutive tax breaks for...

Moving to the country: fresh air, sunshine, and profit--but above all, Countrywide Lawn Doctor offers a release from an unsatisfactory career and a dull, repetitive lifestyle.(advertorial)
April 1, 2003... I WAS WALKING lonely as a cloud until... I'd just had one of those days at the office, where the office politics had once again got in the way of my attempts to move the business forward. These sorts of days were happening more and more...

Fishing for friends: take a few tips from a wily and accomplished fisherman who's survived a few storms and knows where all the best pools are ...(the last word)
April 1, 2003... FRANCHISING IS NO DIFFERENT from any other commercial venture. If the franchise you have chosen is trading badly both franchisor and franchisee are unhappy, each blaming the other for his or her misfortune. Typically, the franchisee will blame...