News

Barking Mad, the UK’s leading home dog boarding franchise, is celebrating a major milestone - achieving over 10,000 reviews on Trustpilot, reaffirming its position as the nation’s most-trusted dog home boarding service.This incredible achievement highlights the brand’s unwavering commitment to providing a premium, home-from-home experience for dogs across the UK. The Trustpilot milestone reflects the loyalty and satisfaction of Barking Mad’s ever-growing customer base, as well as the dedication...

Five years after the pandemic transformed how we work and learn, businesses are still trying to strike the right balance between online and face-to-face interaction. Although online meetings and virtual training have become second nature, two fifths (41%) of businesses have increased their expectations for in-person working over the past year*. So, there’s growing recognition – across industries – that nothing replaces time spent in person.It’s the same in franchising. For franchisees, the mix o...

fit20 is continuing its strong UK expansion, and we’re delighted to announce that our 16th studio will be opening in Glossop in January 2026, led by new franchisee Kate Thorpe.Kate’s journey to fit20 is an inspiring one. After two decades as a Solicitor in the Legal Profession, she retrained in the field of psychotherapy to become an Integrative Therapist and Coach. Kate is driven by a passion for helping others improve their mental health and wellbeing.Now, through fit20, Kate is combining her...

You wake up, head to work, and somewhere between the morning commute and your third email of the day, the thought hits you again: Is this it? It’s not that your job is bad. It’s just that spark, the feeling that what you do truly matters, feels a bit lost. You want to build something that reflects who you are. Something that gives you energy instead of draining it.That’s why so many people find themselves scrolling through franchise portals late at night. It’s not about money at first, it’s...

October & November were busy couple of months for The Franchising Centre, and we’ve been having a lot of great conversations which have helped us focus on the most important developments in the industry right now.We’ve been putting a big focus this autumn on helping franchisors understand the shifting landscape of franchising and what it takes to succeed as the last quarter of 2025 gets under way. Here are some of the insights and ideas our team have put together: International FranchisingOur H...

In October, Extra Help was delighted to welcome franchisees from across the UK at our Annual Conference and Awards, held at the Bristol Hotel. Our conference provides franchisees with the opportunity to learn; celebrate each other’s achievements; share advice and best practices; and strengthen the connections that every franchise needs to thrive.The event mixed practical workshops, inspirational speakers, and face-to-face networking, reminding everyone that running an Extra Help franchise means...

MagiKats Tutoring, a leading provider of private tuition workshops in maths and English, has announced that its franchisees in Lincoln, Katie Christopher and Ronnie Byrne, will spearhead the company’s franchise recruitment efforts. Drawing on their first-hand experience as franchise owners, they will play a pivotal role in connecting with prospective franchisees and sharing the unique benefits of joining the nationwide network.“By placing recruitment in the hands of Katie and Ronnie, we’re able...

If you are looking for a new job or thinking of starting your own business, a franchise represents an exciting but safe opportunity. It has many, if not all, the benefits that come with running your own business but without the risk and isolation. It’s also a flexible alternative to full or part time employment and freelancing. There are franchises in many different sectors, including education, and franchises can be small and local, to national or international. So, what is a franchise?A fr...

Franchise Brands’ B2C family - ChipsAway, Ovenclean and Barking Mad - proudly took part in Breast Cancer Now’s annual ‘Wear it Pink’ day on Friday 24th October, raising vital funds and awareness for life-saving breast cancer research.This year’s campaign holds special meaning for the group, following the diagnosis of one of their much-loved colleagues, Amy, with breast cancer earlier this year. Inspired by her strength, positivity and resilience, the B2C team and networks have rallied together t...

It’s been an incredible year for Super Star Sport, as we proudly celebrate the launch of 11 new franchise areas across the UK in 2025, our biggest year of growth to date! From South East London to the North Lincoln and beyond, more passionate people than ever before are joining our mission to help children be fit, active, healthy, and smiling through fun and engaging sports sessions. A Movement That’s Growing Fast Each new franchise represents more schools, nurseries, and communities benefi...

Alchemy Virtual Assistance, the UK’s only family-run virtual assistant franchise, is experiencing a surge in interest from aspiring franchisees around the globe. With nine hubs now operating nationwide, the network is expanding rapidly as professionals seek flexible, meaningful careers in response to a challenging job market, redundancies, and a desire for autonomy and fulfilment.The latest addition is Melanie Pollard, who will launch the Warrington hub this November, bringing Alchemy VA’s trust...

Super Star Sport is proud to celebrate two of its newest franchise directors, Nick Pool and Kerem Bektas, who joined the network in January 2025.With huge sports coaching experience but limited business backgrounds, both Nick and Kerem have made an incredible start to their Super Star Sport journey, proving exactly what can be achieved with passion, energy, and commitment to the model.In just nine months, the pair have already generated over £58,000 in turnover and are on track to finish their f...