By Brian Duckett. Published in Global Franchise (Jan 2019)
Unsure about dipping your corporate toes in UK waters? Brian Duckett offers a score of good reasons to help you decide
1. The UK is a densely-populated market with excellent infrastructure, good broadband connectivity and most cities in Europe are within a three-hour flight. Beyond that, historical connections to the Middle East and the Commonwealth provide business introductions around the world.
2. Franchising has been established as a way of doing business in the UK for more than forty years. There is a sound franchising infrastructure with a strong trade association and an experienced network of consultants, brokers, recruiters, lawyers, accountants and banks to help inbound businesses.
3. The latest British Franchise Association Survey shows franchising continuing to grow. In the last two years its net contribution to the economy has grown by over £2bn to £17.2bn; franchise units are at an all-time-high at 48,600; and 710,000 people are employed in franchising, a rise of 89,000.
4. There are more female franchisees and more under 30 year-old franchisees than ever before. 37% of new franchisees in the past two years have been female, a huge rise of 20%, and 30% of all franchisees are now females. This is an important trend for those franchisors whose model favours female franchisees.
5. Multi-unit and multi-brand franchisees are also on the rise. Franchisees are reaping the rewards of a career in franchising as franchisors realise that a good operator is a good operator and those skills can be harnessed to mutual benefit.
