Posted:27-August-2026
A day in the life of husband-and-wife team Gary and Alison Murdock, NIC Local Franchisees
Husband-and-wife team Gary and Alison Murdock run an established NIC Local franchise covering Cumbria, North West England and Scotland.
With strong roots in Cumbria and backgrounds spanning professional sport, healthcare management and business ownership, Gary and Alison bring complementary skills and a shared ambition to their franchise.
Having taken over the longest-established NIC Local franchise through a resale, they inherited more than 25 years of history, an established workforce and long-standing client relationships.
Here, they share why they chose NIC Local, what they’ve learned from taking on an established business and their ambitions for the future.
From professional sport and healthcare to commercial cleaning
Gary: Alison and I came into NIC Local with very different professional backgrounds, but both gave us experience that translates well into running a franchise.
I have a long history in Rugby League, having played, coached and worked as Director of Rugby for Workington Town RLFC, as well as holding roles in management and recruitment. Sport taught me a lot about leadership, building successful teams and getting the best out of people.
Alison: I spent many years as a dental practice manager in Cumbria. Managing a healthcare business taught me the importance of trust, attention to detail and exceptional customer service – qualities that are equally important in commercial cleaning.
Gary: We’d also owned and operated a local coffee shop together, so running a business wasn’t completely new to us.
We wanted a new challenge where the work we put in would directly benefit us and our future, and NIC Local offered that opportunity.
Why we chose an established franchise
Gary: We’d actually spoken with the previous franchise owner several years before eventually taking it on. The timing wasn’t right then, but the opportunity stayed in the back of our minds.
When it came around again, everything aligned.
Being from Cumbria was an important part of our decision. We wanted to run a business that allowed us to support organisations in our local community, and NIC Local already had a strong reputation in the area.
Buying a resale also meant stepping into a proven business with existing customers, experienced employees and systems already in place. It gave us strong foundations while still allowing us to bring our own ideas and ambitions to the business.
Building on more than 25 years of history
Gary: The franchise is the longest-established within NIC Local and had been operated by the previous franchisee for more than 25 years.
That history was a major strength, but it also meant there were legacy processes that needed modernising.
We were taking responsibility for more than 40 members of staff alongside long-standing clients who were used to how things had previously been done.
Alison: Building trust was therefore incredibly important. We focused on getting to know our people, introducing the right procedures and reassuring clients that our commitment to delivering a reliable, high-quality service remained the same.
We also cover a huge geographical area, stretching from Cumbria into Scotland, so managing the territory effectively has been an important part of developing the business.
Playing to each other’s strengths
Gary: We quickly learned the importance of clearly defining our roles.
I focus more on initial client enquiries, commercial opportunities and business planning, while Alison is the face and voice of the business, working closely with clients and leading operations.
Our different backgrounds complement each other. My experience naturally makes me think about teams, strategy and growth, while Alison brings a strong focus on operations, relationships and service standards.
We don’t always approach things in exactly the same way, but having a shared vision keeps us aligned.
Growing through strong client relationships
Gary: Growth is important to us, and we’ve secured new contracts across different sectors, including education.
Some opportunities have come through referrals, which we see as a huge compliment. If an existing client is willing to recommend us, it shows they genuinely trust the service we provide.
We’ve also been proactive in identifying opportunities and building relationships with prospective clients.
But growth isn’t simply about winning as many contracts as possible. We want the right contracts where we know we can consistently deliver an excellent service.
Retaining existing clients is just as important. We’ve made it a priority to visit sites, meet clients personally and build strong relationships.
That approach has helped us strengthen existing partnerships and expand some contracts as clients have increased the services they require.
Supporting our people and community
Alison: Our people are a huge part of the business, and as we grow, we want that growth to create opportunities for others too.
We understand how important continuity and stability are for employees as well as clients.
Our aim is to build a workplace where people feel valued and supported while creating additional employment opportunities across the areas we serve.
Being locally owned makes that particularly meaningful. We want the success of the franchise to have a positive impact on the communities around us.
The value of NIC Local support
Alison: One of the biggest benefits of being part of NIC Local is knowing we have the wider franchise support team behind us.
Whether it’s marketing, business planning or simply talking through a challenge, there’s always someone available to help.
We also work closely with our Business Development Manager to identify opportunities and take a structured approach to growth.
With a substantial workforce and multiple contracts, there’s also a lot of administration around areas such as HR and payroll. Having central support for those functions takes significant pressure away from us and allows us to spend more time supporting our people, looking after clients and developing the business.
Building for the future
Gary: We’re ambitious about what we want to achieve.
Our vision is to build a substantial, scalable and efficient operation with the right people and systems in place to support sustainable growth.
That means expanding our client base and creating employment opportunities, but we never want growth to come at the expense of quality.
Ultimately, we want to create a business with genuine long-term value that continues to provide an excellent service to organisations across our region.
Our advice? Go in with your eyes open
Alison: For anyone considering buying an NIC Local franchise resale, our advice is to go into it with your eyes open.
An established business gives you some fantastic advantages. You have existing clients, a team, operational history and the backing of a recognised brand – but that doesn’t mean the hard work has already been done.
You need to understand the business you’re taking on, be prepared to invest your own time and ideas, and make use of the support around you.
For us, NIC Local gives us the best of both worlds: the opportunity to build a business that reflects our ambitions while benefiting from the experience, infrastructure and reputation of an established national brand.
Interested and want to know more about NIC Local ?
The NIC Local profile outlines all aspects of their franchise opportunity and allows you to contact them for further information or to ask a question.
