Commercial cleaning franchise Minster has announced the winner of its Franchisee of the Year award. Esmond White (pictured), franchise owner of Minster Kent, was named Franchisee of the Year at the company's annual conference.

Esmond launched his franchise in 1996 and has built it up to a current turnover of over £1 million. Esmond puts some of his success down to the strength of the Minster brand, he said: "The Minster name and reputation gives our customers confidence and the disciplines of such an established franchise keep us focused on the needs of our clients. High standards and flexibility have helped us to build long-term client relationships and by offering a comprehensive range of complementary work such as washroom and sanitary services, we can provide all their cleaning needs from one reliable and trusted source."

Other franchise owners who won awards at the conference are David Charlton, franchise owner of Minster Liverpool; Jim Wotherspoon, franchise owner of Minster Glasgow North; Mark Combes, franchise owner of Minster Hertfordshire; and Ceris Headford and James Lofthouse, franchise owners of Minster Sheffield South.

Minster Managing Director, Mike Parker, said: "The award winners have done outstandingly well in a difficult year but every one of our franchise owners has weathered the storm and is well placed to take full advantage of the growth predicted for the next few years. They have shown that resilience and man-management skills together with Minster's proven business model add up to a winning formula that will stand the test of time."

Minster has franchise opportunities across the UK including Aberdeen, Doncaster, Durham, Guildford, Leicester, London, Middlesex, Peterborough and Swansea. Initial start up cost is £28,000 plus VAT which covers licence, training, computer software and hardware, stationery, machinery, equipment and materials. In addition, between £40,000 and £60,000 working capital will be needed.

Also, a number of Minster franchisees across the country are planning their retirement and offering their franchises for sale.

Published: 2 March 2010

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