Known in the industry as the ‘Oscars’ of franchising, this year’s shortlist has been unveiled, ahead of the black-tie awards night in November, when the winners will be revealed.
Leading authority
The awards, sponsored by HSBC UK, are run by the BFA (British Franchise Association) the UK’s leading authority on franchising, dedicated to upholding ethical business practices and high standards. Established in 1977, they empower businesses and individuals through accreditation, education, and expert guidance.
The judges
The judges for the awards are Pip Wilkins QFP, CEO of the BFA, Gillian Morris QFP, Head of Franchise at HSBC UK, Simon Wise, Founder at FranRec, Euan Fraser QFP, Consultant at AMO Consulting and Nina Moran-Watson, Director at NMW Franchise Services.
Industry snapshot
According to the 2024 British Franchise Survey sponsored by NIC Local[i], there are 1,009 franchise systems in the UK, with 50,421 franchise units, jointly contributing £19.1 billion to the UK economy. 89% of franchise units are profitable and the Personal Services sector saw a 53% growth between 2018 and 2024.
“Brilliant businesses”
Gillian Morris, UK Head of Franchise at HSBC UK said: “My warmest congratulations to all the finalists in this year’s British Franchise Awards. It’s certainly not an easy task but shortlisting the entries and choosing the finalists is one of the highlights of my year. As ever, there are some brilliant businesses amongst this year’s entrants. They really do represent the best of British franchising, and I look forward to seeing them all at the awards ceremony in November.”
The full list of finalists for the BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards 2025 are as follows:
BFA HSBC UK BRITISH FRANCHISE AWARDS FINALISTS 2025
FRANCHISOR AWARDS
FRANCHISOR OF THE YEAR – ESTABLISHED
- Premier Education
- Caremark
- Boots Opticians
- Pink Spaghetti
- Speedy Freight
- Bluebird Care
- Dyno-Rod
FRANCHISOR OF THE YEAR – EXPANDING
- GoodOaks Homecare
- Mathnasium
- Oltco
- Mini First Aid
FRANCHISOR OF THE YEAR – EMERGING
- CareYourWay
- Future Stars Coaching
- Green Machine
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
- Snap Fitness
- easyStorage
- Optic-Kleer
- Swimtime
LEADERSHIP & CULTURE
- Caremark
- Premier Education
- Language for Fun
FRANCHISE SUPPORT
- Snap Fitness
- ERA Group
- Pink Spaghetti
- Co-op
- FASTSIGNS
- Aspray
MARKETING
- GoodOaks Homecare
- Auntie Anne’s UK
- Stagecoach Performing Arts
FRANCHISEE AWARDS
COMMUNITY IMPACT
- Right at Home (Vicky & Paul Butler)
- Snap Fitness (Kunal Patel)
- Swimtime (Fiona Marshall)
- Bright & Beautiful (Toni Hibbert)
DYNAMIC DUO
- CareYourWay (Sobia Farooq & Shahid Shoeb)
- Revive! (Jinesh & Reena Patel)
- Minster Cleaning (Edward & Charles Lofthouse)
- Rise (Adam & Jos Sharp)
- Driver Hire (Tim & Fiona Hennah)
- Tutor Doctor (Neil & Melodie Watson)
CUSTOMER FOCUS
- ServiceMaster Clean (Jane Paisley & Andre Gottemaker)
- Puddle Ducks (Faye Burrell)
- Snap Fitness (Sajda Parveen)
BFA STAR PERFORMER
- Theatretrain (Jess Fairfield)
- Home Instead (Zoe March & Rob Moore)
- House of Colour (Sandy Lancaster)
- Mini First Aid (Marlene Meyer)
YOUNG GUNS
- More Than Loft Ladders (Lewis Perkins)
- Home Instead (Wafa Mohbubul)
- Oltco (Scott & Cam Stevenson)
HSBC UK MULTI-BRAND
- The Explorer Group (Sean Geddes)
- Iceking Group (Angelina Mouralidarane)
- Karali Group (Salim & Karim Janmohamed)
HSBC UK MULTI-UNIT
- McDonald’s Restaurants (Roger Khoryati)
- Betterclean Services (Caroline Spiller)
- Snap Fitness (Kunal Patel)
Chief Executive Officer of the BFA Pip Wilkins said: “A huge congratulations to all our finalists this year. As ever, the entries were very strong, and we commend each and every one of them for going the extra mile over the past 12 months. Our members and their franchisees are the backbone of the BFA, upholding the ethical values of the association and we thank them for their commitment. We look forward to celebrating the best in British franchising at our awards ceremony in November and wish all our finalists the very best of luck.”
About the BFA
Set up in 1977, The British Franchise Association – The BFA – is one of the largest and most influential trade association for franchising in the UK. They are the only UK association working in partnership with the European Franchise Federation and World Franchise Council. The association's aim is to highlight opportunities for businesses and individuals within franchising, and how these possibilities can positively transform people’s lives.