London businessmen win 2011 BFA HSBC Franchise of Year award

Amar Radia, Adarsh Radia and Asad Hamir, of O2 in London, were last night crowned the London & South East region’s 2011 bfa HSBC Franchisees of the Year, supported by Express Newspapers.

One of 14 exceptional finalists, the businessmen were praised for their tireless dedication which has enabled them to build up their four O2 franchises into a thriving business at the top of the company’s network. The businessmen are set for continued growth after last week opening a new store, O2’s largest, on Tottenham Court Road called The O2 Workshop, and will offer employment opportunities for the vision and hearing impaired through their affiliation with RNIB and RNID.

Amar, Adarsh and Asad commented on their achievement: "We are thrilled to be receiving such a prestigious award, which is a reflection of the commitment our whole team has, not only to our business, but also to building the O2 brand. This achievement comes at a very exciting time for us as we have just opened our fourth store in London."

Cathryn Hayes, Head of Franchising, HSBC, commented: "It was a pleasure to witness so many enterprising businesspeople who are excelling through planning, perseverance, innovation and creativity. Asad, Amar and Adarsh have steadily grown their business with a specific customer focus and are a true credit to the franchising industry and an inspiration to small businesses across the UK."

Seán Hammond, Head of Franchising, Express Newspapers, stated: "These Awards continue to reveal the business talent we host in the UK. Their success stories provide food for thought to existing and potential franchisees, and I congratulate every finalist on their enormous achievement."

Brian Smart, Director General, British Franchise Association (bfa), said: "There were so many strong stories this year, revealing the small businesses which have truly taken advantage of the franchise model to deliver success. We are thrilled to announce the winners of the 2011 bfa HSBC Franchisee of the Year Awards and are particularly pleased to see the level of commitment the winning franchisees have placed on supporting their communities and adapting their businesses to reflect the challenges of the economic environment."

Four other regional winners were selected:

• Scotland
  Ian Cain, NBC Bird and Pest Control (Edinburgh)
• The Midlands
  Afia Sirkhot, McDonald’s (Birmingham and Dudley)
• The North
  Mike and Catherine Chalton, Home Instead Senior Care (Moreton, Wirral)
• The South West and Wales
  Lorraine Thompson, Driver Hire (Oxford)

For further information, visit www.thebfa.org or call the bfa on 01235 820 470