Step 1: Discover the Opportunity
Take a first look at The Great Out-tours franchise and explore what makes this opportunity so special. If it feels right for you, simply get in touch and tell us a little about your background, experience, and passion for the outdoors.
Step 2: Start Your Franchise Journey
If your enquiry feels like a strong match, we’ll invite you to move forward on the pathway to your own exclusive franchise area. You’ll send us your CV and cover letter, take part in an informal interview, and have the chance to speak with an existing franchisee.
Step 3: Get an Offer
Successful applicants will be offered a 3-month trial franchise licence, giving you the chance to launch and experience the business in your own area. It’s a valuable opportunity to build confidence, see the model in action, and take the next step towards long-term ownership.
Step 4: Train with Confidence
Before you begin, you’ll attend our hands-on induction training programme designed to set you up for success. From activities and safeguarding to marketing and delivery, you’ll gain the knowledge, support, and confidence to bring The Great Out-tours to life in your community.
Discover More
Begin Your Franchise Journey
Application Review & Franchise Fit
Once we’ve had a chance to read through your introductory email, we’ll get back to you and let you know if we feel you could be a great fit for The Great Out-tours.
The process can take less than a month
If everything is sent over promptly, this stage can move quickly towards your own exclusive franchise area.
Introductory email review
We read through your introductory email and consider whether you could be a strong fit for The Great Out-tours.
CV & covering letter
If things look promising, we’ll ask for your CV and a covering letter as part of our due diligence checks.
Informal Zoom chat
If all looks promising, we’ll invite you to an informal Zoom video chat so we can get to know each other better.
Franchisee conversation
If the chat goes well, you’ll have the chance to speak to an existing Great Out-tours franchisee by phone or Zoom.
Towards your exclusive area
If we feel there is a strong fit, we’ll invite you to take the next step towards your own exclusive franchise area.
Hear what it’s really like
Speaking to an existing franchisee is a really helpful stage of the journey and a great way to get a feel for what it’s really like.
Your Trial Franchise Offer
Your Trial Franchise Offer
If you’re successful at Step 2, we’ll be delighted to contact you with a formal offer of a 3-month trial franchise licence.
3 months to experience the business in practice
A practical, time-limited way to begin operating in your area before deciding whether to move into a permanent franchise licence.
Formal offer
After a successful Step 2, you receive a formal offer of a 3-month trial franchise licence.
Start operating
The trial gives you the chance to get started and begin operating your franchise within 3 months of your offer date.
Review together
At the end of the 3-month trial, once the agreed royalties have been repaid, we’ll meet with you to review how everything has gone.
Choose next step
If everyone is happy to move forward, you’ll be invited to purchase a permanent franchise licence.
Permanent franchise licence
If the trial has worked well for both sides, you’ll be invited to purchase a permanent franchise licence, giving you exclusive rights to trade in your area.
No further commitment
If you decide it’s not quite right for you, the arrangement can simply come to a close at that stage, with no further financial commitment going forward.
Franchise training
Join our Award Winning Business
The Great Out-tours are a fantastic embodiment of everything rural and what an asset to the community! They have a clear vision of where they want to take the business.
Any franchise, in any area, would be a benefit to countryside education and development.
Rural Business Awards Judging Panel
Since setting up my Great Out-tours Nottingham franchise & first after school club, so many people have asked me why I didn’t just set one up myself (through my forest school business). Why do I want to pay the royalties to someone far away?
Well greedily I don’t of course (!) but the truth is without John Brooksbank (Business Founder & franchise coordinator), this is not something I would ever have done. The sheer quantity of work involved in setting up my own business; creating a web page, Facebook page, the IT enrolment systems, writing the safeguarding policy, risk assessments, session plans, marketing materials, creating merchandise....the list goes on, and without earning a penny.....NO WAY!
With the Great Out-tours franchise, that has already been done, TO THE HIGHEST AND MOST EXACTING STANDARD. After a short but thorough induction training programme, once the time was right (with no pressure from John), it was just two weeks before my club was up and running at my local school. John has been available at the end of the phone or email (at any reasonable time I have needed him for guidance). His laidback demeanour means we established an instant rapport! The club dovetails easily with my other work as a Forest School Leader and John respects the other work I do, not seeing it as a threat to the work I do with him but, an asset.
I cannot recommend The Great Out-tours enough.
Setting up your own company can be confusing having to deal with risk assessment, trialling lesson plans, taking on employees or free lancers, and often you can feel isolated. Working with the Great Out-tours (G.O.T) and joining the G.O.T family has given me support and encouragement. Most of the background hard work has been done.
You are given the lesson plans with all activities having been rigorously road tested, the risk assessments are done, the insurance is in place and you have access to a fabulous booking system.
I have enjoyed feeling like part of a team and supported, and this has had a knock on effect giving me renewed enthusiasm and confidence within my own company.
Hello everyone. I just wanted to let you all know how running a
Great Out-tours franchise can work so beautifully alongside other projects you may be involved with.
I visited a lovely primary school in my area today. What a beautiful location! The new Head teacher there is so passionate about the children getting the opportunity to connect with and care for the environment. He has asked us to run a Great Out-tours after school club, which is going to start next week. He has asked me to run an all day/overnight and next morning Forest School Style session for his year 6's after their exams, through my Forest School company. He has also agreed to me using his school after hours, to run an adult education workshop, and invited me in to teach the Year 4's how to make a Bees Wax Food Wrap.
Forest School is my love, but in these hard times, due to school budgetary constraints, I am being asked to run less and less Forest School "Proper". At the end of the day, my passion is to encourage and facilitate a connection between children and the natural environment. I am having to become more creative in the ways that I do that. The Great Out-tours franchise is the perfect 'dovetail' to my aspirations and combined business sustainability.
The future is in your hands - Get in touch!
Thanks for taking the time to look through the information. We hope it has given you a good feel for what a Great Out-tours franchise could offer, and why now might be the right time to start your journey with us.
To register your interest in this franchise opportunity, simply complete the contact form. We’d love to hear from you.
With thanks for your interest and best regards
John
John Brooksbank
Founder
Tell us a little about you, the area you are interested in and what would help you decide whether a Great Out-Tours franchise is the right fit.Interested in a Great Out-Tours franchise?
