I hear that BSM has recently changed its policy with regards to bad weather (EDIT: This is an old story – The AA now owns BSM).
Apparently, it was in the contract that if the local Test Centre didn’t do tests for a certain period then the franchise fee was adjusted. But recently, BSM has taken this clause out of the contract.
I don’t know (yet) what BSM franchisees are saying about this, but I can guess. Maybe some of them could let me know via the contact form?
The one thing to remember is that the weather is not in anyone’s control and all other instructors have to manage bad patches themselves. It is surprising BSM had this clause in anyway, although the franchise fee is somewhat higher than most others and I guess franchisees need something to show for the extra outlay.
Having said that, BSM franchisees ought to consider the financial impact paying out could have had on BSM as a whole if the clause had remained. Instead of just not getting a discount, they might have been not having a franchise to work for!
With the weather the way it has been no franchisee would have been paying anything from since before Christmas. BSM wouldn’t have survived.
On the other hand, franchisees can still teach – its only tests which are cancelled, which made the original deal a little unfair anyway.
EDIT 12/1/2010: On the flip side, look at this story.