The winners of the 35th annual BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards were announced in a ceremony held at the Telford International Centre in Shropshire, following the British Franchise Association’s (BFA) annual conference. The event, themed “Discover Your Tomorrow,” highlighted achievements across the UK franchising sector and featured entrepreneur and podcast host Steven Bartlett as the keynote speaker.
The BFA, recognised as the UK’s self-regulatory body for franchising, upholds ethical standards for members and ensures rigorous assessments of franchise opportunities. This year’s awards, sponsored by HSBC UK, celebrated franchisees and franchisors across multiple categories, recognising excellence, innovation, and community impact.
HSBC UK’s Head of Franchise, Gillian Morris, praised the high calibre of entries. She stated: “The British Franchise Awards consistently showcase the best of UK franchising, and this year’s breadth of applications reflects the value placed in a BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Award. It’s the pinnacle of achievement in UK franchising. Judging was challenging but rewarding, and we were thrilled to celebrate the success and talent within the industry. Congratulations to all winners and finalists.”
BFA CEO Pip Wilkins, who is marking her 25th anniversary with the association, highlighted the sector’s recent growth, especially in the Personal Services category, which has seen a 53% increase in activity. “This year’s awards featured inspiring entries that demonstrated strategic planning, forward-thinking innovation, and tangible growth for franchise brands. I extend my congratulations to all finalists and winners – these awards recognise the best in British franchising.”
This year’s Franchisor of the Year – Established award went to Right at Home, with Dyno-Rod receiving a Highly Commended mention. The Franchisor of the Year – Expanding award went to Mathnasium, while The Creation Station was awarded in the Lifestyle category. Other winners included Signs Express, which received the Business Transformation Award, and Tutor Doctor, honoured with the Franchisor Trailblazer Award.
The Leadership & Culture Award was presented to Puddle Ducks, with Home Instead recognised for its Brand Awareness.
In the franchisee categories, Ally Phillips from Pink Spaghetti won the Lifestyle Franchisee Award, while Gastronomy Foods’ Acky Khan took home the HSBC UK Best in Class Multi-Unit Multi-Brand title. CJ Micallef from ServiceMaster Clean received the Best in Class Multi-Unit Single-Brand award.
The Community Focus Award was presented to Jonathan Radford of Football Fun Factory, which also received the People’s Choice Award. The Franchisee Trailblazer Award went to Nathan and Adam Holmes of Revive! Auto Innovations UK, with Helen Wilson of Fun Fest Holiday Club receiving a Highly Commended mention in this category.
Additional honours included the Next Generation Award for Lottie Jones of Onside Coaching, and the Business Builder Award for Joe McGuigan of Aspray.
In October, the BFA launched the BFA Journal, in partnership with NIC Services Group, which published the results of the first major franchise survey since 2018. The survey underscored the resilience of UK franchising, noting a low commercial failure rate of 0.5% and its contribution of £19.1 billion to the national economy.
This year’s BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards celebrated an industry that has shown significant growth and resilience, and the winners are seen as exemplars of excellence in franchising, both within their respective sectors and across the broader UK market.