British Swim School Franchise Costs, Fees & FDD

Year Business Began: 1981

Franchising Since: 2011

Headquarters: Virginia Beach, Virginia

Country of Origin: England

Estimated Number of Units: 500

Franchise Description: British Swim School Franchising, LLC is the franchisor. The franchisor is a wholly owned subsidiary of BSS Acquisition Holdings, LLC. British Swim School businesses operate a swimming and water-survival instruction program that focuses on survival skills, stroke development, breathing techniques and skill coordination by offering private and group lessons for individuals of all ages, and other related services and products, as well as offers and provides pool facility rental, pool parties and other special events and activities that we approve under the British Swim School name and marks.
Training Overview: The franchisor will train franchisees (and/or their designated manager) on operating a British Swim School business and provide their aquatics manager (if the franchisee will not be the trainer and manager of the swim instructors) with training on teaching swim lessons, both at the franchisor’s expense through its initial training program as long as these individuals attend the operations training program at the same time. Initial business training is provided through a three-phase approach of self-paced, virtual and in-person instruction. In-person training is conducted on an as-needed basis at the franchisor’s principal business office in Virginia Beach, Virginia or at another location it designates, and is preceded by self-paced or asynchronous learning (currently about 15 hours) and live, virtual learning (currently about 20 hours over one week). Currently, the franchisor provides up to eight days initial in-person training, in addition to the self-paced and virtual training, which shall include the aquatics program training. Franchisees (and/or their designated manager) may request additional training at the end of the initial training program if their attendees do not feel sufficiently trained in the operation of a British Swim School business. The franchisor and the franchisee will jointly determine the duration of this additional training. The franchisor reserves the right to charge franchisees its then-current training fee for the additional training. The franchisor requires franchisees (or their designated manager) and/or their aquatics manager to attend various training courses, meetings, conferences and seminars, which may include an annual meeting of franchise owners and an annual meeting of aquatics managers, at the times and locations that it designates.

Territory Granted: When franchisees sign the Franchise Agreement, the franchisor will grant them an area for the operation of a British Swim School business (the territory). Provided that franchisees are in full compliance with the terms and conditions of the Franchise Agreement and all other agreements with the franchisor and its affiliates, it will not operate or grant a franchise for the operations of another British Swim School business in the territory, nor allow another British Swim School franchisee to operate at a pool within the territory. Both a standard territory and a targeted territory have potential for at least two pool locations. Depending on the demographics, population, income levels and other factors, the territory may be smaller or larger than the estimated population for a standard territory or a targeted territory, as applicable. The franchisor will identify the territory in an attachment to the Franchise Agreement. Upon the approval of a pool in the territory, provided that franchisees are in full compliance with the terms and conditions of the Franchise Agreement and all other agreements with the franchisor and its affiliates, it will not approve any other franchisees’ new requests to operate in a pool outside the territory that is within a certain radius of any of the franchisee’s previously approved pools. The radius will be at the franchisor’s sole discretion.

Obligations and Restrictions: If franchisees are an entity, they must identify one of the owners who is a natural person with at least 50% ownership interest and voting power in the franchise and who will have the authority of a chief executive officer (the designated manager). Franchisees (or their designated manager) are responsible for the day to day management, direction and control of the British Swim School business, subject to the terms and conditions of the Franchise Agreement. If franchisees will not be the trainer and manager of the swim instructors, they must hire an aquatics manager who will be their lead swim instructor. Franchisees must offer and sell all services and products that the franchisor periodically specifies for British Swim Schools, including swim school subscriptions for swim lessons under the terms and conditions that it designates. Franchisees must offer and sell only approved products and services from the pools of their British Swim School business.

Term of Agreement and Renewal: The length of the initial franchise term is 10 years. Two additional five-year renewal terms are available, if franchisees meet the franchisor’s conditions.

Financial Assistance: The franchisor and/or one of its affiliates may, in its or their sole discretion, finance up to half of the initial investment or operating capital. Whether the franchisor will extend financing and the amount of financing will vary depending on, among other factors, the availability of funds, the franchisee’s creditworthiness, the market conditions in the franchisee’s area, and the franchisee’s compliance with existing franchise agreements. Currently, the franchisor does not offer any lease arrangements. The franchisor does not provide any financing in the State of California. If franchisees qualify to participate in this program, they may be eligible for a discount of 20% off the initial franchise fee for the first British Swim School franchise.

Estimated Initial Investment

Name of Fee	Low	High
Initial Franchise Fee	$39,500	$59,500
Mailer Program Set-Up Fee	$1,000	$1,000
Mailing List Fee	$150	$150
Postcard Fees	$3,870	$3,870
SEO Fees	$3,600	$3,600
Digital Marketing Fees	$12,000	$17,000
Chatbot Fee	$500	$1,500
Pool Security Deposit	$0	$1,000
Pool Usage Fee – 3 months	$1,500	$12,000
Opening Inventory (pool equipment, training supplies, learning aids)	$3,050	$6,100
Signage	$250	$750
Financial Management Training	$200	$200
Training: Travel and Living Expenses	$1,500	$5,000
Accountant and Legal Fees	$300	$1,000
Insurance Premium	$2,400	$5,000
Computer System	$0	$3,500
Office Security Deposit	$0	$1,500
Office Rent, Office Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment – 3 Months	$0	$4,500
Technology Fee – 3 Months	$750	$750
Pre-Marketing and Grand Opening Advertising	$7,500	$15,000
First 3 Months of Aquatics Manager	$7,500	$10,500
Additional Funds – 3 months	$9,000	$15,000
ESTIMATED TOTAL	$94,570	$168,420

 
Other Fees

Type of Fee	Amount
Royalty	10% of gross sales or a minimum monthly amount, as applicable.
Marketing Fund Contribution	2% of gross sales.
Mailer Program Fees, Consisting of Setup Fee, Mailing List Fee and Postcard Fee	Setup Fee: Part of initial fee. Postcard Fee: Currently, $0.43 per postcard; $3,870 (9,000 postcards) per year. Mailing List Fee: Currently, $0.05 per targeted household on the mailing list obtained, $150 (3,000 targeted households) per year.
Digital Advertising Program Fees, Consisting of SEO Fees and Digital Marketing Fee	SEO Fee: Currently $300 per month. Digital Marketing Fee: Currently, $1,416.66 per month for a standard territory and $1,000 per month for a targeted territory.
Technology Fee	Estimated at $250/month.
Pool Program Fees	Varies.
Additional Aquatics Initial Training Fee	Then current charge, currently $900 for full training or $300 per person per day if full training is not required, in each case, plus expenses.
Swim Instructor Training Fee	Then current charge, currently $300 per person per day, plus expenses.
Virtual Training Fee	Then current charge, currently $100 per person per day.
Additional In-Person Pool Scouting Fee	Then-current charge, currently $300 per day, plus expenses.
Payment Services Fee	Up to 4% of total charge.
Regional Meetings/Annual Convention/Annual Aquatics Director Conference	Annual Convention Fee: Currently $725. Annual Aquatics Manager Conference Fee: Currently $379. Costs and expenses incurred by the franchisee’s attendees, plus the costs of travel, lodging and entertainment. $1,200 if franchisees fail to attend the annual convention.
Transfer Fee	50% of the then current initial franchise fee for transfer of the Franchise Agreement.
Sales Commission and Broker Fees	The commission on the franchisor finding a buyer for the franchised business (typically not be less than 10% of the sales price), and the franchisor’s actual cost of the brokerage commissions, finder’s fees, or similar charges.
Renewal	$5,000 per franchise agreement.
Audit Expenses	Cost of audit and inspection, any understated amounts, and any related accounting and legal expenses.
Late Payment	$100 per occurrence, plus lesser of the daily equivalent of 18% per year simple interest or the highest rate allowed by law.
Product Purchases	The then-current product prices.
Non-Sufficient Funds Fee	The lesser of $100 per occurrence, or the maximum allowed by applicable state law.
Insurance	Reimbursement of the franchisor’s costs plus a 20% administration charge.
Indemnification	Will vary under circumstances.
Professional Fees and Expenses	Will vary under circumstances.
Reimbursement for Unused Subscription Refunds	Amount of customer refund, plus 5% interest (or highest commercial contract interest rate allowed by law).
Taxes	Varies.
Purchased Zip Codes	$2.00 per targeted household within the unoccupied zip code(s) that is immediately adjacent to the territory.
Attorneys’ Fees and Other Costs	Will vary under the circumstances.
Liquidated Damages	Will vary under the circumstances.

The above information has been compiled from the FDD of British Swim School. Year of FDD: 2025.
Franchise Direct's Disclaimer