Success strikes again

“We have had an excellent day, probably the best exhibition we’ve been to in years!”

Graham Turner, Managing Director, Agency Express

Visitors from across the UK and overseas who attended the UK’s largest franchise event last month gave an enthusiastic response to the exhibition. Kerry Kimber from Edinburgh, who is in the education industry, was one of many who visited The National Franchise Exhibition and commented: “It has been really, really helpful. I have attended seminars and spoken to advisors such as lawyers. Everyone has been very enthusiastic. It was well worth the trip!”

Neil Chappell from Sheffield who works in sales agrees: “I used to run my own business and so I am looking to go back into self-employment. I want to be the one in control. There have been good exhibitors here and the seminars have been especially useful.”

The National Franchise Exhibition, which took place at Birmingham’s NEC in October, proved to be another success with thousands of visitors coming through the doors and over 150 business franchises from across the globe, exhibiting. The UK’s largest franchise event showcased interesting business opportunities in sectors including sports, technology, food and drink, beauty and home improvement.

The event enabled visitors looking for a new career path in franchising to attend seminars, gain valuable advice and meet consultants face-to-face, as well as discovering new businesses that they would otherwise not have considered themselves.

Petra Gale, a Commercial Director of a motorsport company in Birmingham, had researched and pre-arranged some appointments before coming to the exhibition. “We found some new ideas that we did not think of before so now we have extra prospects to consider.”

Rakesh Chopra, an IT Consultant from Milton Keynes, expressed: “Meeting experts was good and interesting, I’ve got plenty of new ideas to think about.”

Giving an exhibitor’s perspective on the event, Graham Turner of Agency Express commented: “We have had an excellent day, probably the best exhibition we’ve been to in years!”

The presentations were particularly popular and drew in the crowds as theatres were full to capacity during many of the appearances. Among the presenters of these free seminars, hosted by the British Franchise Association (bfa) and various highly regarded franchise companies, was Phil Vickery, the England rugby World Cup winner and former captain, who is now a Director of the SureLet franchise, a new exhibitor to The Franchise Exhibitions.

Adrian Goodsell, Franchise Exhibitions Manager at organisers Venture Marketing Group, comments: “This was an excellent year for The National Franchise Exhibition; we had a good and varied amount of exhibitors, and a great turnout across both days. This shows that events such as The National Franchise Exhibition are valuable and worthwhile for everyone involved.”

Written by Jo Ivie