New North West Alliance is committed to franchise sector growth

A new grass-roots organisation has been launched focused on supporting and advising franchise businesses across the North West of England.

The Franchise Alliance (TFA) aims to shape the future of the sector in the region - boosting growth through expert advice, targeted events, and the creation of a strong community committed to mutual success.

Its founders are looking to bridge “the support gap” that has led to its launch, while unlocking new opportunities and driving sustainable success.

The new TFA has already brought together a powerhouse of franchising specialists across legal, consultancy, accountancy and funding.

These include Forbes Solicitors, NatWest, franchise consultancy The Business Clinic, specialist franchise accountants, The DT Group and franchise marketing experts Business For Sale.

The organisation has issued a call for more supporters and partners to come forward and join it in working to strengthen the community-driven initiative.

And TFA has also “organised its first expert-led event: ‘Cultivating Growth’, which will take place at the headquarters of Forbes at Walton Summit near Preston on Thursday, October 9.

Helen Livesey from The Business Clinic, which is based in Chorley, is one of the founders of TFA.

She said: “The North West is a hotspot for franchisees and franchisors, but for too long it has faced a significant gap, an absence of dedicated resources tailored to deliver support.

“With a wealth of established brands and ambitious entrepreneurs, we believe the region deserves a specialist organisation committed to nurturing sustainable growth and success. That is why we’ve all come together to create TFA. 

“We’re looking to build a vibrant community where knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and best practices foster collective growth.

“And we are actively working to expand our network of expert professionals passionate about franchising in the North West.”

She added: “The aim of TFA is to build something that is more than a support network – we want it to be a catalyst for transformation, dedicated to elevating the region’s franchise landscape.”

TFA is developing a wide-ranging programme of expert-led events. It is also working to deliver exclusive in-depth discussions and quarterly networking gatherings, packed with insight from industry leaders, in partnership with other business organisations in the region.

Helen added: “From franchise agreements and royalty structures to brand compliance and franchisor-franchisee relationships, this is a sector that demands expert guidance. Helping to deliver it is part of our role.”

The franchise sector contributes £19.1bn to the UK economy with an average turnover per franchise unit of £400,000, according to a survey published last year.

It also revealed that there are 1,009 franchise systems (an eight per cent increase since 2018) with 50,421 franchise units (an increase of four per cent since 2018.)

To get in touch with TFA visit thefranchisealliance.org. Places for the ‘Cultivating Growth’ event can be booked through the Eventbrite platform. It will run from 8am until 10am on Thursday October 9.

For more details about the TFA email [email protected] or to book a place follow the link below:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/empowering-franchise-growth-in-the-north-west-tickets-1604684397229?aff=oddtdtcreator