Husband and Wife Entrepreneurs from Sleaford Scoop Bronze in UK’s Top Franchisee Awards

Peter and Abigail Atkinson are congratulated on being scooping the Bronze Prize in the 2006 bfa/HSBC Franchisee of the Year Awards L-R : Brian Smart (Director General of the bfa), Cathryn Hayes (Head of Franchising for HSBC Bank), Peter and Abigail Atkinson, Yvette Taylor (Business Advertising Manager, Express Newspapers) and Sir Bernard Ingram (President of the bfa)

“HSBC has been supporting the franchise industry for more than 20 years and we congratulate Peter and Abigail Atkinson on reaching the National Finals of these prestigious annual Awards. Their success story is not only representative of hard work and commitment, but is also testament to the support provided by a successful franchising business model. HSBC recognises the valuable contribution franchisees such as Belvoir make to the UK economy by creating local businesses, wealth and jobs.”
- Cathryn Hayes, Head of Franchising for HSBC Bank

A husband and wife from Sleaford, who gave up full-time careers and re-mortgaged their house to launch a franchise specialising in property lettings, have been crowned ‘Bronze Winners’ in the 2006 British Franchise Association/HSBC Franchisee of the Year Awards, sponsored by HSBC Bank and Express Newspapers.

Beating off stiff competition, Peter and Abigail Atkinson walked away with their Bronze trophy plus an HSBC cheque for £2,000 at a glittering gala dinner held last night at Birmingham’s Motorcycle Museum.

The prestigious bfa/HSBC Franchisee of the Year Awards – the highlight of National Franchise Week (2-9 October)– were launched in April as a celebration of the best-performing franchisees in a booming industry worth an annual £10 billion a year to the economy and which now employs over 360,000 people in the UK.

38-year old Peter and his wife gave up secure jobs and re-mortgaged their house to buy the franchise for Belvoir Sleaford, a property letting agency, in 2004.

It was a leap into the unknown, but within one year the enterprising couple had increased the number of properties from 54 to 140, tripled the business’s income and and been named Belvoir’s ‘New Franchisees of the Year’.

After 10 years in the motor trade, working 60-hour weeks, Peter felt there should be more to life. Then he found himself selling a Mercedes to a Belvoir franchisee and the meeting changed his life.

With no experience of the lettings industry, Peter and Abigail faced a huge challenge when they took on the small franchise, but they identified Sleaford as a prime area for expansion and quickly took on board all the training and support offered by the Belvoir franchise network.

Enrolling on an intensive three-week course, they immediately applied what they had learnt to the business. They employed an experienced property manager, invested in new signage to create a stronger image for the company and took out a weekly full colour ad in the local newspaper. Peter’s sales experience helped attract new clients and his energy and commitment have established a reputation for reliability that is driving the business forward.

The Atkinsons continue to capitalise on support offered by the franchisor to resolve IT problems, negotiate preferential insurance terms and get legal advice. Regular meetings with other franchisees also allows them to share new ideas and initiatives and discuss the way industry changes may impact on their business.

Now Peter is helping train new franchisees and introducing a system for creating video inventories on DVD, which he and his wife developed in their Peterborough branch.

By following the core values of a successful franchise, building on systems and processes that have been tried and tested over time, and adding in a good measure of enthusiasm, creativity and hard work, Peter and Abigail Atkinson have been able to expand a small franchise into a thriving business with plenty of potential for further growth.

The ambitious duo now have their sights set on having185 properties on their books by the end of this year, increasing to 257 in 2007 and 350 by the end of 2008.

The judging panel, chaired by President of the bfa, Sir Bernard Ingham, was looking for franchisees who could show how they have achieved ‘Success Through Support’ – the theme for this year’s Awards - by illustrating how their franchisor’s support structure has been instrumental to their success.

Cathryn Hayes, Head of Franchising for HSBC Bank, said: “Judging these Awards is always a difficult task but we felt Belvoir demonstrated strong growth in quality business by following the system and working with the franchisor.

“The Atkinsons took a big gamble in giving up good jobs and remortgaging to start their own business and have worked hard to achieve success. We are delighted to recognise their efforts in these awards tonight.”

Director General of the bfa, Brian Smart, added: “The franchise sector is home to some of the UK's most successful brands. These brands have been built on the fusion of a franchisor driven to build and support a network and franchisees who are committed to developing their own business.

“The awards recognise the very best franchisees and how their focus and drive, when supplemented by the support of a franchisor, grows sustainable, powerful businesses." “Peter and Abigail are an inspiring example of such a partnership working at its very best - and we congratulate them on their win in the 2006 Awards.”

Media enquiries or requests for interviews to Claire Abercrombie or Katie Ellerker at Aspect Communications on 0208 673 2020/ 07790010509/ 07960 222 054

Notes to editors:

The HSBC Group

HSBC Bank plc is a wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc, and a member of the HSBC Group. HSBC Holdings plc serves over 125 million customers worldwide through some 9,500 offices in 76 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. With assets of US$1,502 billion at 31 December 2005, HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as 'the world's local bank'.

National Franchise Week

How often have you sat at your desk and wondered what it would feel like to ‘Escape the 9 to 5’ and be your own boss? National Franchise Week is an ideal opportunity to explore the world of franchising as a proven and established way of starting your own business. Sponsored by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, supported by Yell, and organised by the British Franchise Association in conjunction Venture Marketing Group, National Franchise Week will be taking place on 2 - 8 October and features a number of exciting events such as regional discovery days, the annual Franchisee of the Year Awards and the National Franchise Exhibition. The aim of National Franchise Week is to raise awareness of franchising as a successful business model. Franchising in the UK is a £10.3 billion industry that encompasses 759 franchise systems and employs 364,000 people. For more information on events throughout the week, visit www.nationalfranchiseweek.co.uk or contact Dina Morton (01491 578 050).