School of rock wins top accolade

3:14pm Tuesday 19th June 2007

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AN INNOVATIVE New Forest based chain of rock and pop music schools has scooped the HSBC Enterprise Award in the British Franchise Association's Franchisor of the Year Awards.

Clive's Easylearn Rock and Pop Schools aim to give youngsters structured courses without spending hours concentrating on dots and squiggles'.

Founder and managing director Clive Brooks, accepted the Enterprise category accolade from HSBC's head of franchising, Cathryn Hayes, at an awards bash at London's Savoy Hotel.

The business was founded out of his desire to give young music lovers a choice between air guitar in the bedroom and the traditional music lessons. Launched from a back bedroom in 1981, his easylearn method, which gets youngsters playing instruments from day one, proved popular.

His first franchise sold in 2002 and, since then, he has built a network of more than 60 outlets across the UK and Ireland, with ten more forecast to start up this year.

Turnover for 2007 is forecast to top £600,000.

Ms Hayes said: "Clive's success shows how a small business with big ideas can grow and flourish by applying the rules of franchising effectively and imaginatively."