Government has ‘no plans’ to back franchising campaign

The BFA has said it has been working on a lobbying agenda for some time that will be rolled out in early 2023

There are ‘no plans’ to back a campaign in support of the franchising industry, the government has said.

The news comes following a query encouraged by Sandra James, managing director of The Cat Butler. In September 2022, Sandra asked her local MP, Daisy Cooper, to support the franchising industry. 

In turn, Daisy tabled a question to the government which read: “To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the British Franchise Association report entitled 2018 Franchise landscape - brought to you by the BFA and NatWest, which found that failure rates for franchises remain very low if he will take steps to launch a public campaign in support of the franchise model?”

The government’s response from Dean Russell, MP for Watford and Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) was: “The Government has no current plans to launch any campaign on this issue.”

The BFA has said it has been working on a lobbying agenda for some time, and it will be rolled out in early 2023. Sandra says: “This was a disappointing response and not what we had hoped to hear at all. Having spoken to Pip Wilkins, CEO of the British Franchise Association, she assures me that lobbying the Government is at the forefront of the BFA’s plans in 2023 and I would encourage all franchisors to lend her their support if and when she requests it. 

“We know that franchising is a great business model, and we need to pull together to get that message across to the British Government and people.”

Image: Sandra with the letter of support from MP Daisy Cooper