Sponsored by The Franchising Centre and Constant Contact, this year’s event will be held in Telford on 12 November 2026, followed by the BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards; historically described as the ‘Oscars’ of franchising
Working together
Berit Block, senior director of international marketing at Constant Contact said: “Returning as co-headline sponsors of the BFA Annual Conference is something we are looking forward to. It is critical that franchisors and franchisees work together to balance brand consistency with local customisation and we are honoured to be part of that conversation.”
New chapter in franchising
Dugan Aylen QFP, CEO the Franchising Centre said: “The 2026 conference marks the beginning of a chapter the whole sector has a stake in writing together. The pace of change across business has accelerated sharply in recent years, especially in terms of technology, politics, the economy, and what franchisees and franchisors now expect of each other. Our sponsorship reflects a shared goal: ensuring franchising comes through that change stronger, both as a growth strategy for brands, and as an ethical, sustainable route into business ownership for the people who choose it.”
Enormous opportunity
Looking forward to the event, CEO of the BFA, Pip Wilkins said: “I sometimes wonder if ‘conference’ is the right word to describe this event, because it is so much more than that. Simply put, for eight hours in November, a venue in Telford becomes the most important place in the country to be, for everyone in franchising, and those who do not attend miss out on an enormous opportunity for learning and networking.”
She continued: “As an association, whose remit is to uphold the standards of ethical franchising in this country, we deliver various educational events for nearly 52 weeks of the year, some free, some paid for. The conference is by far our biggest event of the year, so if anyone wants a feel for the educational content we provide, perhaps they missed out on some of our events this year, then the conference is the place to be.”
Talks and presentations
The 2026 agenda has a wide range of talks and presentations planned; Pip explained: “So far, we have got talks on everything from recruitment to resales and from leadership to creating national opportunities. We are so sure of our line-up that we guarantee every single person will walk out of the conference, not only with knowledge they did not have beforehand but also actionable information they can take back to their own businesses and start implementing the very next day. We would urge all our members to invest this one day in themselves and their businesses and join us in November.”
Keynote speakers
In between the educational sessions the BFA has invited keynote speakers to complement the educational content of the day. Confirmed for 2026 are: former Royal Marines Commando, and the founder of Reborn Mindset, Aaron Moon, broadcaster and presenter Timandra Harkness, and Dragon’s Den’s Sara Davies MBE.
Tickets
A limited number of tickets are still available to members of the BFA via. Visit thebfa.org for details.
Key takeaways
- The BFA Annual Conference 2026 takes place on 12 November at the International Centre, Telford, sponsored by The Franchising Centre and Constant Contact.
- Keynote speakers include Sara Davies MBE, Aaron Moon and Timandra Harkness, complementing a full programme of educational sessions on AI, marketing, franchise recruitment and leadership.
- Pip Wilkins, CEO of the BFA, has described the conference as an opportunity for the whole franchise community to learn, connect and be challenged – not just a traditional industry event.
- The Franchising Centre’s CEO Dugan Aylen QFP says the 2026 conference marks the beginning of a new chapter for the whole franchise sector.
- A limited number of tickets remain available to BFA members – visit thebfa.org for booking details.
