The franchisees of performing arts group Stagecoach have wasted little time in returning to their venues following lockdown, with as many as ‘99% back in business,’ says its chief operating officer.
According to the Surrey-based franchise Stagecoach Performing Arts, the vast majority of their 300-plus business partners have certainly hit the ground running, following the easing of lockdown restrictions during April.
Andy Knights, the company’s chief operating officer (COO), could hardly contain his delight when he recently announced: “Our franchisees have done brilliantly to re-open their schools for in-person classes again. Up to 99% are now back at their venues, with students eager to get back to their classes.”
Stagecoach caters for children and teenagers aged between four and 18 years. The franchise teaches attendees to sing, dance and act, while also developing greater confidence and performance skills for later life. After seven months of closures, students from across the United Kingdom were permitted to return to their after-school and weekend clubs on April 12th.
And Stagecoach COO Andy Knights was happy to witness an immediate return to action: “It didn’t take long for our students to re-unite for their singing, dancing and acting sessions. Without a doubt, the pandemic has caused havoc with extra-curricular clubs. Many parents now see our performing arts classes as an antidote, because their children have been socially isolated and glued to their computer screens for much of the day.
“It’s vital that we reconnect and re-engage with our students and make the experience really enjoyable. We want to show them that Stagecoach is a place where they can have fun with their peers again. Across the network, we have seen a 43% increase in demand for summer enrolments, when compared to the summer of 2019. There’s also been a 25% rise in enquiries, with some franchisees having to introduce waiting lists due to the demand in their local areas.”
With headquarters in Woking, Surrey, Stagecoach‘s network of over 300 franchisees, operate more than 2,000 schools and classes in eight countries. They have helped to unlock the potential of over one million students since opening for business 33 years ago. Stagecoach believe the re-opening of clubs and workshops will help to alleviate the physical and mental stresses that have built up during the pandemic, while bringing a sense of purpose to students’ lives again.
Karin Webber, who runs Stagecoach territories in Leicester and Long Eaton, has enjoyed an immediate return to business following lockdown, saying: “Both of my schools are almost totally full and I am still getting enquiries – 14 in just one day. I’m now looking to open new classes in September, plus an additional venue in Leicester because we’re bursting at the seams.
“Head office has supported us throughout lockdown and what was really encouraging was that we kept receiving enquiries which indicated to us that the demand would be there when lockdown eased. This made it easier to plan for the future and I was optimistic that we would bounce back. I’m really excited about the next few months. Our schools are back in venue, and I’ll be organising summer holiday workshops so that our students can showcase their new-found singing, acting and dancing skills to family and friends.”
April 17th was a huge day for Kate Ridley-Holloway who officially took over as franchisee and Principal of her Gloucester territory. She explains: “Stagecoach Gloucester is actually the second franchise I’ve owned. In 2014 I bought the Barnstaple franchise from the previous franchisee.
“This was a territory I had experienced as a teenage student growing up there. In 2020 I made the decision to sell the school on, having doubled the size of it to cover the whole of north Devon. But not long after I invested in Gloucester which seemed like a good investment opportunity with plenty of potential growth.
“It might seem crazy to start a business during a third national lockdown, but I knew the demand was there with parents desperate to get their kids doing physical activities again outside of the house. I have lots of plans for 2021. Gloucester is quite a small school but, with the expertise and support of the franchisor, I am expecting to grow it quickly.”
