Franchising focus for city workshop (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Franchising focus for city workshop

A SOLICITOR from Salisbury will be presenting a workshop on franchising during National Franchise Week, which runs from October 4 to 8.

Mark Lello, of Parker Bullen, will give the workshop on franchising and agency agreements in conjunction with South Wiltshire and Kennet Learning Partnership and Business Link Berkshire and Wiltshire.

Mr Lello, head of the firm's company and commercial department, believes that, when taking advice from a franchise lawyer, it is vital that they be an affiliated member of the British Franchise Association.

"The BFA is committed to ethical principles of franchising and requires all members to adhere to those principles as well," he said.

"This has enabled the association to maintain standards in franchising matters for many years.

"One of the BFA's main jobs is to help potential franchisees recognise the good, the bad and the ugly for what they are."

Mr Lello said the BFA's website, www.british-franchise.org, made clear that the association's work was "not just a philanthropical exercise for reputable and responsible franchisors, but made good commercial sense".

"The ability of franchisors to attract potential franchisees to invest in their systems depends crucially on their own reputation and upon the reputation of franchising in general," he said.

He added that since 1977, when the BFA was established, franchising had moved beyond its traditional fast food, motor distribution and hotel markets and now covered a multitude of services.

"Chris Gwinn, at our Andover office, and I are affiliate members of the BFA and have advised on hundreds of franchise situations, from the establishment of National Schoolwear Centres to a finance company, which has just signed up its first franchisee. I am also a registered consultant on the national Business Link consultants' register.

"Your first question to any solicitor you approach for advice on franchising should be 'are you a member of the British Franchise Association'?"

o The workshop led by Parker Bullen is part of a series co-ordinated by the South Wiltshire & Kennet Learning Partnership and Business Link. Details will be published shortly.