Case Study : VIP Bin Cleaning - Craig Richardson

The 28-year-old is now operating the VIP Bin Cleaning service in Derwentside and hopes to take over the business as a franchisee in the next 12 months. He has already secured the business of over 400 residential customers in just three months in the role.

After leaving school Craig worked as a sub-contract roofer and, after 12 years in the trade, the economic downturn left him out of work. 

He said: “As things slowed down in the building trade so did the demand for roofing services and I was left looking for work and taking on any temporary jobs going.
“It was at the local job centre that I saw the opportunity with Be Franchising and applied to take on the Derwentside franchise on a ‘try before you buy’ basis. I went along for an interview and was delighted when I got a call to say I had been successful.”

Be Franchising is a not-for-profit company set up by Be Enterprising, County Durham’s Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI), which aims to inspire enterprise and bring about measurable changes in the area. The Shildon-based company works to help more people start their own franchise business and to help more businesses franchise their operation in order to expand.

Be Franchising has purchased the master license for the North East from worldwide wheelie bin cleaning operation, VIP Bin Cleaning. Under this arrangement, Be Franchising employs individuals looking to start their own business, offering them the opportunity to buy the business at a later date, once it is sustainable and profitable. Part of that process includes assistance to obtain adequate funding from the leading banks, who recognise the unique arrangement and support being given to the franchisee.

Graham Mylchreest, franchise manager at Be Franchising said: “We support people to give them the opportunity to work towards owning and running their own franchise business.
“Craig is a great example of this. He is extremely committed to building a successful business and we’re certain he will be able to take on and grow the Derwentside franchise once he gains more experience and wins more work.”

Craig works anything between 30 and 48 hours a week cleaning wheelie bins, garden bins and recycling bins across Derwentside. He works from a mobile cleaning unit which uses biodegradable cleaning products and houses an on-board water-recycling facility.

Craig added: “I’m working really hard to make the franchise a success and once I have learned more about running the operation I would love to take it on as my own.”
To contact Craig or find out more about other opportunities with Be Franchising, call 0845 602 7988.

VIP Bin Cleaning was established in the United Kingdom in 1997 and has become recognised as the market leader in both domestic and commercial wheelie bin cleaning.