The FranchisingWorks pilot in Greater Manchester opened its doors to the general public on 11 January with its first ever workshop. Interest in the workshop, entitled ‘Finding Out About Franchising’, was high and the number of workshops has subsequently been doubled to meet demand. Even more encouraging, almost everyone attending the workshops has signed up to the rest of the programme to explore franchising as a possible route into self-employment.

Programme Director Simon McNeill-Ritchie said: ‘I am delighted with the response from the local people of Greater Manchester to this initiative . These are still very early days, but it is apparent even at this stage that those attending the workshops welcome the opportunity to find out more about franchising in a relaxed environment. We look forward to being in a position to introduce promising candidates to suitable franchisors in the near future.’