Franchise Partner
James Lofthouse initially bought the Sheffield franchise as a going concern in 2005 when turnover was approximately £1million. He became the first franchisee to reach £2 million, and subsequently the £3 million milestone. He bought the franchise as a going concern in 2005 when turnover was approximately £1 million. The branch’s growth is testimony to his management abilities and to the resilience of the Minster Cleaning business model, even during an economic downturn.
James had been involved in various management roles before he joined Minster Cleaning, and had run another franchise; this was heavily dependent on a small number of customers which made it vulnerable, unlike Minster Cleaning, as he explains: “Office cleaning is an essential service based on repeat custom and the Sheffield branch has a diverse customer base of around 230 contracts. This helps to protect from the peaks and troughs experienced by so many businesses and Minster Cleaning’s large territories give enormous potential for expansion. I built a significant, valuable business by offering a high quality, cost-effective service.”
In 2021, James bought the Derbyshire franchise as a resale. While he focused on growing this territory, his sons, Ed and Charlie, ran the Sheffield franchise.
James chose Minster Cleaning because it is long-established and well-respected with a proven track record for success. “I have the best of both worlds”, he says, “I run my own business and yet I am not entirely on my own. Minster Cleaning’s support covers a wide range of areas including IT, accounting and marketing as well as complex areas like health and safety and employment law – this leaves franchisees free to concentrate on looking after customers and providing a first class service. The franchisee network is also very helpful – there is always someone to speak to and no matter what situation arises, one of the other franchisees can offer useful advice.”
In June 2024, Ed and Charlie purchased the Sheffield franchise from James.
James plans to keep the Derbyshire franchise growing by continuing to offer excellent service levels, value for money and a flexible service which is tailored to the individual needs of both existing and new clients. His achievements have also been recognised, as he was a proud finalist in the Customer Focus Franchisee of the Year category in the prestigious annual BFA HSBC Franchise Awards 2018
