ChipsAway Franchise

Rather than operating from a shop or garage, ChipsAway franchisees run a fully equipped van and travel to the customer, carrying out repairs to paint chips, scratches, minor dents and alloy wheels on driveways, in car parks or outside workplaces. The business is built around convenience: there is no need for customers to book their car into a bodyshop, and no requirement for the franchisee to lease commercial premises. This keeps overheads low compared with a fixed-location business and allows the franchisee to set their own working radius and schedule.

ChipsAway positions itself as the longest-established and largest mobile SMART repair network in the UK, giving new franchisees the benefit of brand recognition that smaller independent operators cannot offer. The business sits within Franchise Brands plc, a publicly listed group whose consumer-facing division also includes Ovenclean and Barking Mad, which brings a degree of corporate transparency and financial reporting that many franchise opportunities lack. Franchisees are supported by a central specialist team on operational matters, and the company describes the model as tested and scalable, allowing operators to grow at their own pace, whether that means running the business solo or eventually building a multi-van operation.

ChipsAway franchisees tend to be practically minded individuals who want to be their own boss while still receiving structured backing from an established network. The mobile, home-and-workplace-based format suits people looking for better control over their working hours and better work-life balance than a conventional employed role or a premises-based business might offer. While ChipsAway has not published detailed candidate criteria on its public franchise pages, the hands-on nature of the role suggests a genuine interest in vehicle care, reliability with customers, and a willingness to manage your own diary and local marketing.

ChipsAway's official franchise pages reference an investment and a dedicated franchise cost page, confirming that joining the network involves an upfront fee structure, but the figures published by the brand itself were not fully accessible at the time of research. Some third-party listings mention a franchise fee in the region of the high twenty-thousands, with a reduced upfront payment option available through staged payment plans, though these figures come from marketplace-style listings rather than ChipsAway's own site, so we are not presenting them as confirmed. We have not been able to verify management service fee or royalty arrangements, specific capital requirements, or minimum premises specifications, since the model is van-based rather than shop-based. Prospective franchisees should request the current Franchise Information Pack directly from ChipsAway to obtain verified, up-to-date figures before making any decision.

• Sector: mobile SMART vehicle paint and bodywork repair
• Parent company: Franchise Brands plc, a publicly listed group
• Network size: 184 franchisees across the UK
• Premises: none required — fully mobile, van-based operation
• Group reporting: included in Franchise Brands plc's B2C division alongside Ovenclean and Barking Mad, as set out in the 2024 Annual Report
• Experience: the business model has been developed over more than two decades under Franchise Brands plc

If you would like to explore current investment figures, available territories and the support package in detail, get in touch to request ChipsAway's latest franchise information directly from the brand.