Business Franchise articles from September 2003

Business Franchise archives from September 2003

Howorth tribute.(Franchise News)
September 1, 2003... Terry Howorth, the man who built Recognition Express into the company that won the BFA's Franchisor of the Year award 2003, died in June after a long and courageous battle against cancer. Terry's last appearance in public was at the...

Growing plans for Domino's Pizza.(Franchise News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Domino's Pizza has secured 11 prime retail sites across Great Britain and Ireland as part of its store expansion programme. Colin Jarrold, property acquisitions manager at Domino's, says: 'Demand for high quality, delivered pizza is on the...

Deserving recognition.(Franchise News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Franchisor of the Year Recognition Express has given two of its franchisees awards for outstanding performance and commitment. Alan John at Recognition Express Eastern, based in Grimsby, has achieved the highest accolade of Franchisee of...

Dedicated decades.(Franchise News)(Terry Barcham, Snap-Oon UK)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Snap-on MD Terry Barcham celebrated 30 years with the company this month. Snap-on staff and management organised a Surprise presentation to celebrate such fantastic dedication to the company. Since joining as a franchisee in 1973, Terry has...

Profit triumph for print team.(Franchise News)(Printing.com)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Printing.com, the specialist retail chain with 14 stores and 33 operational franchises across the UK, has announced a pre-tax profit of 510,000 [pounds sterling] for 2002-2003. In a sector thought to be worth some 1billion [pounds...

Molly Maid and the mounties.(Franchise News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Molly Maid UK Ltd has undergone a huge transformation following the acquisition of the UK master licence by Canadian-based Molly Maid International. The new company is benefiting from increased investment by the Canadians, particularly...

Fried and tested.(Franchise News)(Chester Fried)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... US-based fast-food franchise Chester Fried is planning a major expansion throughout Europe and is seeking area developers in the UK. Chester Fried has split the UK into four areas--one covering Scotland, two in the Midlands and one for...

Bankers reach new peaks.(Franchise News)(Lloyds TSB Group PLC)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Alick Jones, head of franchising at Lloyds TSB, and his colleagues Becky Locke, Sue Fowler and Camilla Cotton, successfully completed the Action Research Three Peaks Challenge and have raised over 5,000 [pounds sterling] for the charity as a...

Leicester is the best.(Franchise News)(Prontaprint)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Howard and Jane Linsley, owners of Prontaprint Leicester, are celebrating after being awarded the title of Prontaprint Franchisee of the Year at the company's prestigious European awards ceremony held at the NEC. Howard and Jane beat...

Fries on the dockside.(Franchise News)(Burger King Corp. )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Burger King has opened its doors to a new franchisee team and a new restaurant at Chatham Dockside, Medway. The Chatham Dockside Burger King will be managed by Ifet Butt and his son, Suhail. The father and son team has already successfully...

Signs of success.(Franchise News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The UK and Ireland's Largest sign company, Signs Express, is celebrating after receiving recognition in two industry awards. In addition to being shortlisted for BFA Franchisor of the Year, representatives at the prestigious Sign Industry...

Up, up and away.(Franchise News)(Great British Balloon Co.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Peggy Butland and John Preston have combined their 25 years of experience in the balloon design and display industry to Launch the Great British Balloon Company. Each franchisee will operate in an exclusive area and offer balloon...

BFA and beyond for Netspace.(Franchise News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Netspace UK has become the first internet business solutions franchise to achieve BFA accreditation. Simon Wise, deputy director of the BFA, says: 'Established since December 2002, Netspace UK is among the youngest franchises in the UK...

The winning post.(Franchise News)
September 1, 2003... Express parcels group GeoPost UK--parent company to franchise brands Interlink Express and Parceline--has won the prestigious Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Occupational Health and Safety Award for 2003. The...

Special offer from photo partnership.(Snappy Snaps)(Tate Modern and Snappy Snaps)
September 1, 2003... In the first partnership of its kind, Tate Modern has teamed up with Snappy Snaps to promote the eagerly awaited 'Cruel and Tender' photography exhibition, Snappy Snaps stores are offering their customers exclusive two-for-the price-of-one...

Changing places at Swisher.(Snappy Snaps)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... David Whelan has joined Swisher, the award-winning business-to-business washroom sanitation service, as franchise director. David's primary objective is to enhance the first-crass support already received by the Swisher network, enabling...

More signs than ever.(Snappy Snaps)(Signarama)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Signarama, the full-service, quick sign franchise, has now granted a master licence for Ireland. The new master franchise owners, Seamus O'Neill, Gary Master, and Denis McFerran, have just opened their flagship store in Dublin. All...

Licence to franchise.(Mr Electric)
September 1, 2003... Roger Moore isn't the kind of man who would normally change his career because of a magazine advert, but the Mr Electric opportunity in Professional Electrician seemed too good to miss. Moore's experience lay in sales and marketing roles...

Dyno-Plumbing.(Franchise News)(Dyno Group)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The Dyno Group, one of the UK's oldest franchisors, has Launched its new service Dyne-Plumbing. The plumbing market is commonly characterised by a general Lack of qualified, professional plumbers, and emergency plumbers often provide...

Start for theatre arts.(Sportscoach)
September 1, 2003... HSBC recently hosted a reception at its new head orates in Canada Square, to mark the launch of Stagecoach Theatre Arts pic's latest venture, the children's sports franchise SportsCoach. Every week here than 25,000 young people throughout...

Pouring in at Glasgow.(Exhibition Report)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Some would say the rain was inevitable, but visitors still braved the Scottish weather to attend the recent British Franchise Exhibition at the SECC in Glasgow. There were more than 40 exhibitors, 20 per cent up on the 2001 Glasgow...

Busy with bins.(Exhibition Report)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... New Bin Masters franchisees Martin and Trish Robertson are celebrating a busy start to their North and East Hertfordshire franchise. Bin Masters provides repairs and restoration to industrial waste containers and skips. In the first two...

Lawns for all.(Greenthumb)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... GreenThumb, the UK's biggest and fastest-growing lawn treatment service, has now opened 20 new branches this year. The franchise has doubled in size to 80 branches in the last two years. Owner Stephen Waring claims time-starved householders...

Down the drain.(Franchise News)(Drain Doctor Plumbing)(Royal National Institute)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... A daring trio from Drain Doctor Plumbing's head office in Peterborough abseiled down the side of a 100ft department store to raise almost 1,500 [pounds sterling] for the Royal National Institute for the Blind. Louise Raby, who joined the...

Sliding north.(Franchise News)(Sliderobes)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Sliderobes, the ultimate bedroom wardrobe franchise, has announced its latest franchise outlet, which will open in Leeds, Yorkshire. The franchise has been acquired by Philip Beesley, the latest recruit to join the Sliderobes franchise team....

Healthy, wealthy and wise: with just about everybody pursuing the dream of looking and feeling younger and fitter, there are plenty of health and beauty franchises to fit the bill.(Health And Beauty Franchises)
September 1, 2003... PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS paid good money to look good and feel great. This well-established trend shows no sign of abating. Research from the market analyst Datamonitor indicates that, if anything, people are keener than ever to pamper themselves....

Barbie and break-outs: the BFA annual conference goes down a storm.(BFA News)
September 1, 2003... HELD ON THE 4-5 July at Warwick University, the BFA conference certainly succeeded in feeding the imagination of its 110 delegates. Delivering an active programme that provided members with a unique networking experience, the conference...

BFA diary dates.(BFA News)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
September 1, 2003... SEPTEMBER 12/13 National Franchise Exhibition, Birmingham 24 Prospective Franchisor Seminar, Birmingham 25 Prospective Franchisee Seminar, Birmingham OCTOBER 21 Forum meeting, London 22 ...

Are you hungry for success? National Franchise Week could be your first step to a bright future.(BFA News)
September 1, 2003... THINGS ARE hotting up at the BFA as National Franchise Week gets ever closer. BFA president Sir Bernard Ingham considers franchising a shrewd investment. 'If you're hungry for business, you can't afford to ignore franchising. It is a sector...

Start a store, build a territory.(Printing.Com)
September 1, 2003... SINCE BURSTING ONTO THE scene at last October's National Franchise Exhibition, Printing.com has been extolling the virtues of its unconventional approach to a print-centred franchise. Unlike the more established players, where production...

Make bread with Benjys: Benjys, the high-street's great value sandwich retailer, is set to step into the franchise arena with its new fast-food delivery opportunity, Benjys Delivered. Pat Malone meets the driving force behind the franchise, Ian Rickwood.(Benjys Delivered)
September 1, 2003... BENJYS WAS ALWAYS a good business. Every second day the owners would collect up to 250,000 [pounds sterling] from their network of 32 London sandwich shops, but the fact that they did their banking with carrier bags of cash thrown into the...

A franchise that fits.(Sliderobes)
September 1, 2003... FOUNDED IN 1983 by Michael McAleese and Brian Devlin, Sliderobes specialises in the marketing, sales, design, manufacture and installation of fitted, sliding wardrobes, primarily for the bedroom. 'Every Sliderobes is a stand-alone...

Plans, vans and automobiles: six years ago, Elio Auletta gave up a management job with a major motor manufacturer to start his own business. Last year he was Snap-on's top tool dealer, an accolade he is likely to repeat in 2003. Des Garnier spent a day on the road with him to find out the secret of his success.(Snap-On)
September 1, 2003... MONDAY MORNINGS AND I have learned to avoid each other as best we can over tire year's and as I fought the traffic on the A3 I was kicking myself for my stupidity. I had foolishly agreed to spend the whole day with a Snap-on dealer,...

Playing the Domino's game.(Domino's Pizza)
September 1, 2003... FRANCHISING IS BOOMING. Many franchise businesses are reporting record profits and announcing plans to expand. Not only that, but franchising is also receiving interest frown increasing numbers of people from different backgrounds, as the...

Cashing in on cheques.(The Money Shop )
September 1, 2003... THE NONEY SHOP is the indispensable service for many people who feel that traditional. high street banks do not offer customers the services they need. Some people can't wait three days for their cheques to clear. Others don't want to get...

Change on demand: Phil Muller came to ODC with remarkable sales skills which he plans to put to work for the benefit of Kall Kwik and Prontaprint franchisees.(On Demand Communications)
September 1, 2003... THE NEW BOSS at On Demand Communications isn't so new ally more. Phil Muller took over as managing director of ODC, the umbrella company of Kall Kwik and Prontaprint, nine months ago, but he's been keeping his head down while he got to grips...

Looking after the pounds.(Profit Focus Group)
September 1, 2003... THE CLICHE 'working for yourself; but not by yourself' certainly rings true for the 50-strong network of Profit Focus Group managing consultants that, for the past 18 months, has been using the strategy of virtual teams to build the PFG...

Welcome to a business opportunity, which is in New Zealand.(New Zealand Long-Term Business Visa)
September 1, 2003... The New Zealand Government, and specifically the New Zealand Immigration Service, have introduced their latest and most encompassing business visa programme. Here in the UK this programme is aimed at successful, experienced business...

United rolls out across the UK.(United Carpets)
September 1, 2003... LAST YEAR SAW THE emergence of a unique and surprisingly affordable franchise in the shape of the leading independent carpet retailer United Carpets. The franchise is looking forward to another successful National Franchise Exhibition--if...

Play that funky music.(Clive's Easylearn Pop Music Schools)
September 1, 2003... FUELLED BY SHOWS such as Fame Academy, Pop Idol and Popstars, interest in Clive's Easylearn Pop Music Schools is growing at an incredible pace. Since it started in Southampton, it's become the fastest-growing pop music schools franchise in...

Join the Dream team: the growing market for its tailor-made service has seen potential franchisees beat a path to Dream Doors.(Dream Doors)
September 1, 2003... LAST YEAR, the Dream Doors franchise was just an idea, something managing director Troy Tappenden was mulling over. Dream Doors Ltd was a successful, established business and the time was right for expansion. Tappenden and his colleague Derek...

Bright sparks.(Prewer & Orsborne Lighting Galleries)
September 1, 2003... THE NUMBER OF home improvement and property programmes bombarding our television screens over the last few years has prompted many of us to go that step further, think that bit harder, and try to come up with something a little more...

Winning partnerships.(Golfplan)
September 1, 2003... FRANCHISING ANY BUSINESS involves working in partnerships. The most obvious of these is the partnership between franchisee and franchisor but there are others, such as those between a group of franchisees, or the franchisee and his clients....

Driving ambition: Chemex has found another corner of the cleaning market to conquer.(Chemex International)
September 1, 2003... MARTIN PASCOE, a former area manager for Mercedes Benz, is celebrating ten years as a Chemex International franchisee this year. He and his wife Rosie have built a thriving business in the multi-million pound cleaning and hygiene marketplace,...

Master of ceremonies: when Robert Devlin started his bridalwear franchise he had no idea of the success he would achieve. Now Pronuptia's UK master franchisee, he tells Carol Davis about the welcome sound of wedding bells.(Pronuptia)
September 1, 2003... CHOOSING A PRONUPTIA franchise was the best thing he ever did Some 17 years ago he worked for Thorn EMI as a regional manager for Radio Rentals, 'but there was always a little voice there saying that it would be better to work for myself.'...

Big profits on the cards: nine years of huge success for card suppliers Card Line have shown that traditional greetings are as popular as ever, as Jenny Gray found out.(Card Line)
September 1, 2003... CARD LINE ESTIMATES that each person in the UK buys on average 45 greetings cards a year. You don't have to be Scrooge to be surprised by that kind of quantity, but it shows that the card retail market has more potential than many people...

More time to make money: Lasertech, the nationwide ink and toner cartridge manufacturer, shows how its unique resources and supply capabilities bring big profits for its franchisees.(Lasertech)
September 1, 2003... LASERTECH IS THE ONLY printer cartridge refill franchise that actually manufactures ink and toner cartridges fur its franchisees, so they have more time to concentrate on running the sales side of the business. The company benefits from over...

Smell the coffee.(Hudson's)
September 1, 2003... THERE ARE MANY potential entrepreneurs who want to invest in a coffee house. They have woken up to the smell of beans and want to embrace all that a coffee house entails--the early rising, hard work and constant cheerfulness, as well as the...

Business brains and branding aims: TaxAssist Direct is flourishing as the small business saviour. Anna Mills reports on the franchise which provides SMEs with tailor-made solutions to all their accounting issues.(Tax Assist Direct)
September 1, 2003... TAXASSIST DIRECT is a franchise with big ambitions. Launched in 1995 as the brainchild of chairman. John Westgarth, the network of accountancy and taxation small business specialists has grown to include over 175 branches throughout the UK....

Start a store franchise & build a territory.
September 1, 2003... If you're looking for a b2b franchise then maybe printing.com has already caught your eye! Perhaps the compelling price points, including full colour business cards for only 49 [pounds sterling], have encouraged your own mystery shopping...

Show guide: Hall 12, NEC, Birmingham 12 & 13 September 2003.(The National Franchise Exhibition)
September 1, 2003... OPENING TIMES: Friday 10:00-17:00 Saturday 10:00-16:00 A DECADE IN THE DRIVING SEAT Martin Pascoe is celebrating ten years as a Chemex franchisee--but rather than sitting back, he's targeting new areas and finding more reasons to...

Show guide: essential advice for small businesses.(Growing your own business: showcase & conference)
September 1, 2003... Your future starts here Welcome to the GROWING YOUR OWN BUSINESS SHOWCASE & CONFERENCE 2003 where I am delighted to be opening the event by talking about my experiences at Majestic Wine. The showcase profiles an extensive range of...

Heavenly bodies: with increasing numbers of commuters swapping rail cards for leathers, motorcycle repair service Bike Medic is facing as much success as Car Medic, the inspiration behind it. Paul Beadle reports on the unique, mobile, bike restoration franchise.(Bike Medic)
September 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...

World keeps on expanding: Cartridge World is leading the way in cartridge recycling with its profitable, eco-friendly, retail franchise that appeals to individuals and business customers alike.(Cartridge World)
September 1, 2003... SAVING PEOPLE MONEY and helping reduce landfill amounts are just two reasons why Cartridge World, the leading printer cartridge refilling and remanufacturing franchise, continues its upward tread with 152 franchised stores now operating in...

Spreading the net: Netspace UK's master franchisee Shaun Thomson has seen rapid growth and success for his internet business solutions company. Carol Davis reports on his winning catch.(Netspace)
September 1, 2003... IT WAS ONE AUDACIOUS email that led Shaun Thomson to become the master franchisee for Netspace UK in Britain, even before the American founders were ready to expand into the country. After eight years of working tot large, corporate US...

Join a winninq line-up: It's been another prosperous year for Mai Boxes Etc. Gay Turner reports on recent successeses.(Mail Boxes Etc)
September 1, 2003... MAIL BOXES ETC (UK) LTD, the specialist business services franchise, is celebrating the year's achievements by heralding the accomplishments of its individual franchisees. Managing director Chris Gillam announced those whose efforts had won...

Th:at's the way to do it.(Th:at Cafe)
September 1, 2003... TH:AT IS AN INTERNET CAFE with a difference combining the latest in computer technology with quality food and drinks served in a comfortable environment. Principal Paul Taylor has witnessed meteoric growth in his off-the-shelf company...

In the driving seat.(Mobile Car Valeting)
September 1, 2003... EVERYONE CONSIDERING franchising as his or her preferred route into business will soon become familiar with the phrase 'previous experience unnecessary', which is frequently quoted by franchisors to emphasise the benefits of their respective...

Countrywide success: Alison Coleman reports on the nationwide estate agency network that's branching out into new areas and growing stronger despite the fluctuating property market.(Bairstow Eves)
September 1, 2003... BAIRSTOW EVES IS PART of the Countrywide Assured Group, the UK's largest estate agent The franchise division was launched in February 2000, with tire aim of expanding the Bairstow Eves brand by up to 500 outlets. With 66 new branches already...

New kids on the block: The Little Gym has been providing children around the world with inspirational and stimulating activity classes for more than 25 years and has now entered the UK's lucrative franchise market.(The Little Gym)
September 1, 2003... THE SUCCESSFUL international children's gym franchise The Little Gym arrived in the UK this year with its corporate-owned store in Wandsworth, South London. The early returns on investment on this location have been so good that the country's...

Care to make a difference: as more of us live to a ripe old age, the demand for healthcare is escalating. Such dramatic growth means recruitment management franchise Carewatch Care Services Ltd has a prosperous future ahead of it.(Carewatch)
September 1, 2003... THE CARE INDUSTRY is a rapidly developing market in the UK, with current spend estimated to be over 12billion [pounds sterling] a year. The market is predicted to grow even more in the next five to ten years, as the UK is faced with an ageing...

Manage your future: LMI is recruiting increasing numbers of entrepreneurs who want to enhance their management skills, then profit from that new-found knowledge by teaching others.(Leadership Management International)
September 1, 2003... LEADERSHIP MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL sees itself as the master o f people development and the best white collar business opportunity to be had. It has grown continuously since its foundation in 1966 and as the first half of this year draws to...

Clean sweep for high fliers: work pressure means growing numbers of people just can't find the time or energy to do their housework, which gives Belle Casa management franchisees the chance to earn more and still enjoy extra time at home.(Belle Casa)
September 1, 2003... GOING INTO BUSINESS with one of your best friends is always going to be fraught with risks, but they were risks Philippa Pedder was prepared to take when she started a Belle Casa domestic cleaning franchise witb her friend Clarissa Jopling....

Gold standard AlphaGraphics.(Alphagraphics)
September 1, 2003... THE QUICK-PRINT MARKET in the UK today is worth an estimated 1 billion [pounds sterling] per year an set to grow to unprecedented levels. Business to-business printing services will have to change profoundly to keep up with the digital...

Make moving work for you.(Moving Works)
September 1, 2003... MOVING WORKS is a breath of fresh air in the estate agency sector. Its success is based on the novel idea of a fully inclusive service for a fixed fee, irrespective of the sale price. The concept was thought up by Georgina Cox, a solicitor...

Age and wisdom: as the population of those over sixty continues to increase and the government tries to pass its anti-ageism legislation, Jenny Gray talks to one franchise organisation that's already championing the cause for our elders and betters.(ServiceMaster)
September 1, 2003... HORACE JOHNSTON was not feeling his usual sprightly self when I called to interview him. Understandably, perhaps, as he was recovering from an accident earlier in the week, in which his Ford Escort careered off the road and into a hedge. The...

The strongest link: potential franchisees are often tentative about buying a resale, but one Interlink Express franchisee is keen to show that you can quickly make a healthy franchise turnover even greater.(Interlink Express)
September 1, 2003... SIMON HAWTREY-COOMBS worked as a sales executive for ten years for Interlink Express sister company. Parceline. Both brands are part of the express parcel group GeoPost UK, with Interlink Express the franchised distribution arm of the...

You'd be barking not to.(Petpals)
September 1, 2003... PETPALS BROUGHT A BREATH of fresh air to the British franchising industry when Petpals (UK) lad was launched at the annual British Franchise Exhibition back in 2000. The company's philosophy of focusing franchisees' minds on job satisfaction...

A fantastic opportunity.(Monk Marketing)
September 1, 2003... THINKING ABOUT a franchise in promotional merchandise and corporate clothing? Put MMP at the top of your list. Launched in February at the Manchester GMEX, there are already three franchisees on board, with the first two achieving their...

Bank on the personal touch: all the banks want to do business with franchises, but they don't always offer the level of support they could. Jenny Gray reports on one that's leading the field in its dedicated support of the franchise industry.(Royal Bank of Scotland)
September 1, 2003... THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND'S dedicated franchise team was overwhelmed by the reception at Glasgow's British Franchise Exhibition. Following Business" Franchise's interview in June with Charlie Morton--the bank's regional franchise development...

Strike while it's hot! Consumer demand for fast-food vending machines is hotting up, and Hot Bite is poised to supply the solution ...(Hot Bite)
September 1, 2003... WHEN A NEW COMPANY or brand is launched into the marketplace, one can reasonably expect things to start slowly as its products and services take time to gain exposure and become trusted by the consumer, if this is the rule then...

Make gold from bronze: more and more 'pale and interesting' UK consumers are opting for a head-to-toe golden glow, which is good news for The Tanning Shop franchisees.(The Tanning Shop)
September 1, 2003... According to a recent Mintel report, tanning with the use of sun beds is more popular than the use of saunas and steam rooms and ranks as the must popular form of health and beauty treatment in the UK--all this despite the risks associated...

There's no containing Bin Masters: the UK has a long way to go to catch up with the rest of Europe when it comes to waste management. Gareth John reports on the franchise that's making big money out of business rubbish.(Bin Masters)
September 1, 2003... IT'S BEEN JUST over a year since husband-and-wife team Louise and Tony Gue became the first operational Bin Masters franchisees with their Medway territory franchise, after completing four weeks of intensive training. Since then, Bin Masters'...

Secrets and pies.(Pasty+)
September 1, 2003... THERE IS A SAYING in Cornwall that there are Cornish pasties and then there are Peter Morris Cornish pasties. The Morris family firm has been trading in Cornwall for over 30 years and its pasties have been rated the best in Cornwall by the...

Join the gentry: new made-to-measure shirt franchise La Chemiserie Traditionelle offers a taste of a luxury lifestyle at a fraction of the cost.(La Chemiserie Traditionelle)
September 1, 2003... BRITAIN MAY HAVE lost David Beckham to Spain this year, but the Spanish are compensating for this by sharing a little bit of his lifestyle with every one of us. Brits will no longer have to weave magic on a football pitch or top the singles...

Read between the numbers: in his third feature for would-be franchisees, Alick Jones, head of franchising at Lloyds TSB, focuses on the financial aspects of planning and running your own franchise business.(franchise advice)
September 1, 2003... IN THE FIRST TWO articles in this series I wrote about what you want to achieve from being in business as a franchisee; about understanding your marketplace, customers, competitors and suppliers; and about how to make yourself the best in...

O'Briens to go.(Resale of the month: O'Briens)
September 1, 2003... O'BRIENS IRISH SANDWICH BARS is one of the rising stars of the franchise market and an example of a true success story in action. The company was founded in Dublin in 1988 and franchising commenced in 1994. Since then the operation has...

Take the law into your own hands: in this paranoid age we consult the experts at the slightest whiff of trouble, but building and protecting a franchise needn't cost the earth--just follow Richard Watson's guide to defending your business from copycats and dirty deals.(franchise advice)
September 1, 2003... TORMENTED BY GUILT, the lawyer went to see the priest. Within the dark confines of the confessional, he told his terrible secret. 'Father,' he whispered, 'I have committed a grave sin--in 1939, during the second world war an army deserter...

Need to know: whether you're looking for work or trying to get out of doing any, you'll need to get on the net. Just don't lose your credit card or let your colleagues near your inbox.(franchise advice)
September 1, 2003... CHIPS DOWN FOR CREDIT CARD FRAUD UK hanks and retailers have finally joined forces to reduce rampant credit card fraud. A proposed system called 'chip and PIN' uses a microchip instead of a magnetic strip and requires a PIN number to be...

Ride 'em or dodgem?(the last word)
September 1, 2003... I RECENTLY VISITED what to me appeared to be a fairground, but to a more contemporary observer might be called a 'theme park'. As I approached, the traffic built up--as it does--and I realised that, obviously, my visit was to a popular and...