'We need to know that he didn’t die in vain': Grieving family demand changes to law
The story of Adrian Howe, a Vodafone franchisee who was born in Yorkshire, made national headlines when it was raised at Prime Minister’s questions earlier this year.
Johanna Baxter, the Labour MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South, told Sir Keir Starmer about the anguish faced by Mr Howe, who had been a successful and dedicated Vodafone store manager for more than 20 years.
Ms Baxter told the Commons: “In 2017 he was offered the opportunity to take on a franchise for one of their thriving stores, but the goalposts changed and he was forced to take on a struggling store.
“Just days before he was due to open that store, Adrian stepped into a lake and did not ever return home. Adrian’s wife and widow, my constituent Tracey, wonders if the Prime Minister will review franchising legislation to ensure that there is a balance of power between companies and their franchises, so that nobody else feels undue pressure when they take on a franchise.”
In response, the Prime Minister said: “I think I speak for the whole House in saying that I am deeply sorry to hear about that tragic case, and all our thoughts are with the family. There is a live legal case that I cannot comment on, but I can reassure my hon. Friend that we will look closely at its final outcome. There are strong rules in place, but we will look at the outcome to see whether there is more that can be done.”
In a statement for The Yorkshire Post, Ms Baxter said she had seen a “clear pattern of excess pressure, undue risk and changing goalposts” in her meetings with Vodafone franchisees, allegations which are denied by the company.
She added: “I have already met with the Minister to press for change and will continue to work with Adrian’s family and MP colleagues to push for stronger regulation of franchising, ensuring the balance of power between corporates and franchisees is fair and that franchisees are properly protected.”
Mr Howe’s daughter Kirsty-Anne Holmes said her father, who was originally from Huddersfield, had been placed under immense pressure to take on two Vodafone stores as part of a franchise business, claims which are denied by Vodafone. She said these expectations required financial commitments that he simply could not afford, yet he felt unable to step away. Mrs Holmes said the stress of trying to meet these demands placed an enormous strain on him, both financially and emotionally.
“Despite his efforts, the situation became overwhelming,’’ Mrs Holmes said. “The pressure he was under continued to build, and he was unable to access the support he needed at the time. Tragically, this situation became all too much for him, and in 2018 my dad took his own life.
“My dad worked as a store manager for Vodafone for over 20 years. During that time, he was a loyal and experienced employee who understood the business inside and out.
“In November 2017, he was approached and invited to become one of the first Vodafone franchisees. This opportunity was presented to him as a positive step forward and a natural progression in his career. Trusting the company he had worked for over many years, he accepted the offer.
“In February 2018, he set up his own business, Smartaide, as a limited company in order to operate the franchise. This marked a significant shift from being an employee to taking on the full responsibilities and risks of running his own business.”
Mr Howe decided to run the store in Irvine, North Ayrshire, as a franchise when Vodafone changed its retail network to a franchise model.
His family insists he was also pressured to take on a second outlet in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, a store he knew to be struggling financially, because he had previously worked there.
“Having placed his home as a personal guarantee to seal the deal with Vodafone, he was under immense pressure to make the new venture succeed.”
Mrs Holmes said: “The goalposts were moved, and my dad was told that he would need to take on a second store and find additional funds to support it. This was not something he wanted or felt able to do. He did not want the responsibility of running a second store, and financially, he could not afford to operate two stores at the same time.
“Despite his concerns, he was required to sign a personal guarantee agreement. This agreement stated that regardless of any third-party involvement, all of his personal assets would be used as collateral. This placed his personal finances, home, and future at significant risk.
“My dad was also aware of a programme that Vodafone made very clear to franchisees: if you did not agree to take on these stores, you could potentially lose your job. This programme was commonly referred to as “grow or go,” it was well known among the up-and-coming franchisees and created an environment where refusal did not feel like a realistic option.”
Mrs Holmes told The Yorkshire Post that Mr Howe had been a store manager at Kilmarnock, which is why he knew it wasn’t a very busy store.
“It was sold to them as a massive opportunity. He was really excited about it. Only when the subsequent pressure forced him to take on that second store did he realize it would break the bank.”
“There was an incident 10 days before he died. He took a bicycle ride and veered into oncoming traffic. We believe as a family this was probably his first attempt at his life. He went out to cycle not wearing a helmet and that just wasn’t like him. He was in hospital recovering from that and he wasn’t his normal self.
“He wasn’t a clumsy man, so having two major accidents within 10 days of each other doesn’t make sense. He told me that he was worried about managing the two stores while he was in hospital. He said Vodafone was making it virtually impossible for him to take only one.
“I asked him, ‘Can you afford to take on two stores?’”
“The conversation just died. Looking back, that was him telling me pressure was being placed upon him. Just six days before the store was due to open, my dad walked into a nearby lake and never returned home. We strongly believe that franchising must be far more heavily regulated, with meaningful protections put in place for both past and present franchisees. Without accountability, transparency, and proper safeguards, others will continue to be placed in vulnerable and damaging positions.”
“Two hundred and fifty people attended dad’s funeral. We even had a wreath made with the Vodafone symbol on it. If you ever saw my dad, he was always in a Vodafone top. He literally lived in them. It was his life. He gave them everything.
“He was 58 and not that far off from his own retirement. We as a family just want to see justice done. We need to know that he didn’t die in vain. His life has got to mean something. Getting his story out there, might help others who are struggling.”
A Vodafone spokesman said: “We were saddened by Adrian Howe’s death, and our sympathies remain with his family and loved ones.
“It is not true to suggest that Adrian Howe was forced to take on a poorly performing store, and we reject this suggestion. The store in question is successful under the current franchise partner.”
The spokesman stressed that Vodafonee supported the Howe family through that “difficult period” with the equivalent of a death in service benefit as a gesture of goodwill and good faith, and “our sympathies remain with them”.
The spokesman also said that Mr Howe was not a claimant in the proceedings and died before he became a franchise partner. Vodafone also said that it not true to suggest that Mr Howe was forced to take on a low performing store.
The company also rejects any suggestion that Vodafone is somehow to blame for the death of Mr Howe. “Vodafone takes the wellbeing of their franchisees, past and present, extremely seriously,’’ the statement added.