A YORK-based franchising consultancy has been named Team of The Year at the British Franchise Association Conference.

The event, which took place last month at the ICC in Birmingham, saw The Franchising Centre, based at York Science Park, pick up the award.

The win follows what the team have described as being a “a year of transition”, and was awarded by the UKs voluntary self-accrediting body for the UK franchise sector.

The award recognises the company that demonstrates how the development or implementation of strategy helped meet business objectives and improve the franchise customer experience, including, how the business achieved greater market share or improved franchise services in the past 12 months.

Pip Wilkins, chief executive of the British Franchise Association said: “This team clearly articulated a strong vision, mission and values, evidenced during a crucial period of strategic transition with a focus on developing their team members. As they say, train them and they will stay.

“This is a team that has ample experience, more than 300 years combined in fact. Many congratulations on the win and best of luck for the future.

The Franchising Centre, is one of Europe’s leading firms of franchise consultants and recruiters. They have more than 300 combined years of practical franchise management experience and a network of associated consultants and brokers in more than 60 countries.

Brian Duckett, chairman of The Franchising Centre said: “I am overwhelmed and delighted that The Franchising Centre was announced as the BFA Affiliate Team of the Year.

“The last year has been largely spent managing the transition to a new way of doing business, a new look and a new management group, whilst ensuring that the appropriate skills are disseminated throughout our entire team.

“The credit for the outcome goes to our ‘next generation’ management team of Alan Wilkinson, Dugan Aylen, Farrah Rose and Laura Harvey Smith, who have spent hours developing and implementing growth plans.

“My thanks go to the entire team at The Franchise Centre, with whom I look forward to further achieving our Shared Purpose of “To visibly enjoy the process of working together whist enabling our clients and ourselves to create and continually develop increasingly valuable businesses.”

The Franchising Centre has a team of 15-UK based franchise practitoners.