In Scotland, they are worth £864 million, and they are growing at more than three times the rate of the Scottish economy as a whole.

The figures come from research by the British Franchise Association (BFA) and the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), which says the sector has grown in Scotland by 52% in the last ten years. It says 94% of Scottish franchisees are making a profit, The Scotsman reported.

The British Franchise Exhibition is being staged tomorrow (Friday, 8 June) and on Saturday at the SECC in Glasgow.