Whether they want to explore a range of business ideas, or seek expert advice on franchising, budding business owners will find what they are looking for at the National Franchise Exhibition, taking place at Birmingham’s NEC on October 2 and 3.

If it is financial advice they need, representatives from the High Street banks, including Lloyds TSB, NatWest and HSBC, will be on hand to provide it. These banks are generally more willing to lend to a new franchisee than to someone starting up in business on their own.

On the legal aspects of franchise ownership, such as franchise agreements, solicitors Leathes Prior, Owen White, Hamilton Pratt and Fraser Brown will be available to help, while the British Franchise Association’s (bfa) team of experts will be answering questions on all aspects of franchising.

Sponsored by Express Newspapers, this annual franchise event is an ideal place for prospective franchisees to find out all they need to know. It was for that reason that Laurence Fitch and Ruth Dawe, from St Albans, attended the National Franchise Exhibition, where they also discovered Auditel, a franchise that they believed was perfectly suited to their interests and skills.

Firsthand accounts from successful franchisees are always helpful to those in the process of researching the market. West Midlands McDonald’s franchisee Tony Sealey OBE will be a keynote speaker at the event. His presentation, entitled Franchising and Philanthropy, reveals how he combines being the owner-operator of four McDonald's restaurants with a number of community-based roles and commitments, helping many needy causes and organisations.

In addition, the bfa will present seminars on subjects ranging from how to choose the right franchise to how to expand a business through franchising.

A series of Growing Your Own Business seminars will address the key challenges, trends and benefits associated with building an enterprise, as well as topics such as marketing, PR and business networking.

All the companies exhibiting at the event have met the bfa code of ethics, giving visitors and potential investors added confidence in the franchise opportunities being presented to them.

The National Franchise Exhibition opens from 10am each day, closing at 5pm on Friday October 2 and 4pm on Saturday October 3. Admission on the door is £13. Alternatively tickets can be purchased by credit card; £8 each or £7 each for two or more. Call 0844 257 8668 or visit www.franchiseinfo.co.uk, where Daily Express readers can register for free admission by entering the promotional code (EXPE6).