Discover all our articles on franchise networks Franchise Networks
Explore our topics
KFC franchise partner Gastronomy opens its 50th site in Shrewsbury
14/09/2026A KFC drive-thru opened at Hazledine Park in Shrewsbury on 14 September 2026, the 50th restaurant run by Gastronomy, the Shrewsbury-based franchise partner that opened its first KFC in Aberystwyth in 2007. The milestone lands a year into a development…
KFC opens new restaurant at Brighton Marina, creating 30 jobs
14/09/2026KFC opened a new restaurant at Brighton Marina on Monday 14 September 2026, taking over a unit left vacant by Pizza Hut. Run by franchise operator K&Z, the 112-cover restaurant has created 30 jobs and adds to KFC UK's franchised…
Lakeside welcomes Bershka, Hollister, Oliver Bonas and Urban Outfitters
11/09/2026Lakeside shopping centre in Essex has opened stores for Bershka, Hollister, Oliver Bonas and Urban Outfitters, its latest wave of fashion openings. Pradera, which asset manages the centre on behalf of owner SGS UK Retail, said retail occupiers have invested…
Burger King opens in Peterborough with 1,000 free burgers
10/09/2026Burger King has opened its fourth Peterborough restaurant, taking over a vacant former Frankie & Benny's unit at Boongate Retail Park. The site opens on Friday 11 September 2026 and has created 25 jobs. The opening adds to an estate…
Popeyes creates 45 jobs at first Colchester restaurant
10/09/2026Popeyes has opened its first Colchester restaurant, taking a ground-floor unit in the former Marks & Spencer building on the High Street. The site, part of the Minerva House redevelopment, opens on Friday 11 September 2026. It is Essex's latest…
Jersey Mike’s confirms first UK restaurant for London
10/09/2026US sandwich chain Jersey Mike's will open its first UK restaurant on Argyll Street, near Oxford Circus in London, in late autumn 2026, marking the brand's European debut. The opening follows a franchise agreement announced in January 2026 committing to…
Zambrero opens 17th UK restaurant in Northampton
10/09/2026Zambrero has opened its 17th UK restaurant, in Brackmills, Northampton, the Mexican-inspired chain's first site in Northamptonshire. The unit is run by Caleb Slater, a 20-year-old first-time hospitality entrepreneur, and has created ten full and part-time jobs. The opening is…
XP Factory’s franchised estate shrinks as owner-operated sites grow
08/09/2026XP Factory's audited results for the year to 29 March 2026 show group turnover up 3% to £59.6 million and adjusted EBITDA down to £5.5 million. For a franchise audience the figures underneath matter more: Escape Hunt's franchised sites fell…
7th Heaven confirms 13 more UK shops and 56 franchise agreements signed
08/09/20267th Heaven, the Indian bakery chain that opened its first UK shop in Reading in September 2025, now puts its UK estate at 13 shops trading, with 13 more in the pipeline and 56 franchise agreements signed. The next wave…
What Is a Franchise? A UK Guide to How Franchising Works
04/09/2026The British Franchise Association's 2024 National Franchise Survey put the sector's contribution to the UK economy at £19.1 billion across 1,009 systems and 50,421 units. Unlike France or the United States, the UK has no franchise-specific statute. This guide sets…
