A licensed brand (similar to franchise) is a form of business where the brand holder allow the brands use, at a cost, by an operator. Unlike a franchise the operator has no need to buy wholesale products from the brand owner.
This process allows the operator to lead the consumer to believe they are trading with a brand rather than the operator, and it allows overseas brands to gain a foothold in the local market.
Welcome Break use the American chain Days Inn under licence, and for a while they ran all Days Inn hotels in the UK under that arrangement, including one in Central London.