Mathnasium’s Steve Felmigham has been urging the UK’s commercial landlords to allow more franchises to grow on the high street.
Steve Felmingham, the UK Director of Operations for tutoring franchise Mathnasium, has been urging commercial landlords and planning departments to make it easier for franchises to set up on high streets across the country.
There’s been much talk in the last few years surrounding the UK’s struggling high streets, with around 40,000 jobs lost in 2018 due to closures, redundancies and businesses going into administration. However, Felmingham is urging commercial landlords to be more flexible when renting out their properties and to consider businesses like Mathnasium to bring life back to the high streets of Britain. He explained why the senseless regulations are holding franchises and high streets back from continuing growth.
“Local town planning departments up and down the country set their own planning policy, many of which are archaic and out of touch with the needs of consumers. These are undoubtedly prohibiting many businesses from establishing a high street presence. Many councils insist on a 95 percent retail business occupancy. This sometimes results in buildings lying empty for months on end whilst legitimate businesses like ours are refused change of use applications.”
Felmingham added that while Mathnasium is experiencing “incredible success” already in the UK, with more than eight franchises occupying high streets, it’s finding it a real challenge to locate suitable sites for other franchisees. He urges local authorities to take action now before legitimate, exciting businesses like the tutoring franchise find homes elsewhere and the British high street ends up derelict and forgotten.
Founded more than 40 years ago by Larry Martinek, Mathnasium is one of the world’s largest franchises with sites all across the world.
Sophie Cole, Point Franchise ©
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