'Vodafone sold us a dream - the reality was something different'

'Vodafone sold us a dream - the reality was something different'1 hour agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJessica LaneEast Yorkshire and LincolnshireBBC NewsDonna Watton, left, and Rachael Beddow Davison, right, are taking Vodafone to courtTwo women say they were left tens of thousands of pounds in debt and with mental health issues after running Vodafone franchise shops.Donna Watton and Rachael Beddow Davison, from Lincolnshire, are among 62 former franchisees taking the phone company to court.In their legal claim, the group alleges that Vodafone – which has more than 350 franchise stores – made business decisions in "irrational, arbitrary" ways.Vodafone says it has reviewed and made improvements to the franchise programme over the past two years and has tried to resolve the legal claim, including by offering a settlement, which it says was rejected.But separate to their legal case, Watton and Beddow Davison say they suffered years of difficulties, which have had a huge impact on their mental health and finances."They sold us a dream, but the reality was something different," Beddow Davison says.ReutersVodafone says it runs a successful franchise business with more than 350 stores in the UKWatton, 44, and Beddow Davison, 45, were store managers employed by Vodafone when they were offered the chance to take over their stores as franchises in 2017.It meant running their own phone shop businesses under the Vodafone brand and using the company's business systems.Watton, who joined Vodafone in 2008 and managed a store in Boston, says the franchise offer "looked amazing" and she was excited about the opportunity to be her own boss."I was working seven days a week and putting so much effort in. I made it into a really profitable business," she explains.Beddow Davison, who had been a store manager since 2013, says she "jumped at the chance" to take on the Lincoln shop as a franchise."This was the drea...