Jasper’s Newcastle franchisees, Sue and Dave Burrow, are rounding off a fantastic year by being named finalists for Franchisee Business of the Year in the Startups Awards 2011.
Sue and Dave launched their Jasper’s catering franchise at the end of 2008 and have gone from strength to strength, despite opening in the worst recession since the war. They were profitable in their first year and as they head into their fourth, are well on their way to being a £1m turnover business. Such is the demand for their catering services that they are planning to open their second Jasper’s franchise in 2012, which will be run by their daughter Claire.
Their success is especially impressive when you consider that the North East has got the lowest business start up rates in the country. In 2009, there were just 5.7 business start-ups per 1,000 of the population, compared to a national average of 7.9. And the region has also seen a 17.5% fall in start-ups since 2004.