Harry Ramsden's launches nationwide search for franchise partners as iconic brand targets UK growth

Harry Ramsden’s, one of Britain’s best-known fish and chip brands, has launched a nationwide search for franchise partners as it sets its sights on expanding its footprint across the UK.

Founded in Guiseley, Yorkshire, in 1928, Harry Ramsden’s is approaching its centenary with an ambitious strategy to take the brand to more customers and more locations through a flexible franchise model.

The business is seeking experienced and ambitious partners capable of developing multiple Harry Ramsden’s locations within their local or regional markets.

The expansion strategy will target opportunities across the UK, including city centres, high streets, retail and leisure destinations, coastal locations, travel hubs and other high-footfall sites.

Central to the strategy is a new generation of flexible Harry Ramsden’s formats, designed to allow franchise partners to select the model best suited to their market and location.

The four formats range from full-service restaurants of approximately 1,800–4,000+ sq ft and fast-casual restaurants through to compact quick-service restaurants and Harry’s Hut – a 20ft shipping-container concept designed for locations including seafronts, events and travel hubs.

Indicative start-up investment ranges from approximately £150,000 to £450,000+, depending on the format, location and individual site requirements.

The franchise push comes as Harry Ramsden’s builds momentum behind a wider programme of growth and renewal for the brand.

New openings and conversions are helping to establish a blueprint for the next generation of Harry Ramsden’s restaurants, combining the heritage and familiarity of the almost century-old name with formats designed around the needs of today’s customers and operators.

The business is particularly interested in franchise partners with the financial capability and ambition to develop multiple locations, strong knowledge of their local markets, experience of building and managing high-performing teams, and an ability to identify quality sites.

Mikayla Whittle, Director of Franchising & Licensing at Harry Ramsden’s said:
“Harry Ramsden’s has an extraordinary place in British food culture. For almost 100 years, people have known us for proper fish and chips, and we now have an opportunity to take that heritage and build a new generation of Harry Ramsden’s locations across the country.

“Our franchise strategy is about finding great partners who understand their markets and share our ambition for the brand. Crucially, we now have a range of formats that gives us much greater flexibility over where Harry Ramsden’s can operate – from a compact Harry’s Hut through to a flagship full-service restaurant.

“As we head towards our centenary in 2028, we want to work with ambitious operators who can see the opportunity to bring an iconic British name to a new generation of customers.”

Harry Ramsden’s currently has 10 UK restaurants alongside a wider presence through more than 1,500 retail and “proudly serving” locations.

The brand has also been broadening the types of locations in which it operates, including a return to motorway services, while recent restaurant conversions have provided encouraging evidence for the growth strategy.

The franchise programme is intended to accelerate that momentum, giving partners the opportunity to build a multi-site business around a brand with almost a century of history while benefiting from a model designed for contemporary hospitality and takeaway markets.

Mikayla added:
“There aren’t many franchise opportunities that combine this level of brand recognition and heritage with a genuine opportunity to help shape the next stage of the business.

“We’re not simply looking to put more pins on a map. We want to build long-term partnerships with operators who can establish Harry Ramsden’s strongly within their territories and grow with us over the years ahead.

“The first 100 years created an incredible British brand. Franchising will play an important role in what comes next.”

Harry Ramsden’s is inviting enquiries from prospective single and multi-unit franchise partners, with a particular focus on operators capable of developing multiple locations over time.

Interested and want to know more about Harry Ramsden’s ?

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