There is life after franchising – just ask Barrie and Tracey Compton, owners of Uniforms4All.
Theirs is a good news story in the current downturn on the High Street; their business grew not contracted after “losing” the support of the franchisor.
The city centre firm, in Park Road, Peterborough, is trading strongly, profits are up even though net sales have remained about the same as the previous year – a case of smart spending and canny buying – and the couple are developing other services to give added value to the business.
Until April 2008, itwas part of a franchise called National Schoolwear Centres, but this all changed when the franchisor went into administration.
“We had been trading since March 2005 and when the news came through regarding the franchisor , we had to make a decision on which direction our business took,” said Barrie.