Schools performing arts franchiser Stagecoach Theatre Arts could soon launch new franchises in Greece, Latvia and Dubai and an online shop.

Surrey-based Stagecoach, which recently reported an 89 per cent annual pre-tax profits surge to £707,000, hopes to launch a franchise in Athens next month, as the first of a hoped-for 12, with the franchisees ‘taking all the risk’ and paying the company 12.5 per cent royalties. Already the UK’s largest franchise network of part-time performing arts schools for four to 16-year-olds, the company is optimistic that Latvia and Dubai could follow soon, on similar terms, says chairman Graham Cole.

AIM-quoted Stagecoach, which also operates in Germany and the USA and has moved to slash overheads and enhance profitability in both countries, has also earmarked September for the marketing of its new online shop to an initial 40,000 students. The company has put a modest £15,000 into the shop, which will sell puppets, make-up and costumes made by suppliers who will also pay royalties to Stagecoach and, looking at US equivalents, Cole expresses high hopes for this venture.

It seems the credit crunch has had little effect, as yet at least, on franchisees or student take-up, though potential parents’ redundancies might, suggests Cole. At 72p, the shares could outperform more directly cyclical stock market counters.

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Stagecoach Theatre Arts	AIM	£5.64m	57.00p	0.00p
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