An award winning pet supplies shop has opened its second branch in Middlesbrough town centre.

Harry’s Pet Emporium has launched in Dundas Indoor Market, selling a range of quality pet foods and pet accessories.

The new store is part of the award-winning Ingleby Pet Supplies business which won Independent Retailer of the Year in the Pet Industry Federation’s Pet Industry Awards 2015, and was a finalist in the same category in 2016.  

The business is also being championed by Small Business Saturday, the organisation which encourages consumers to ‘shop local’ and support small businesses in their communities. It has been selected as one of the Small Business 100 and is being promoted via social media today (Thursday) in the run up to 2017 Small Business Saturday on December 2.

 

"We did not want to use the same name for our second retail outlet," said Director Dawn Worton.

"We thought calling a business Ingleby Pet Supplies in Dundas Market in Middlesbrough would be confusing, so I asked my 10 year old son Harry to think up a new name and he came up with Harry’s Pet Emporium.

"Just like in our shop in Ingleby Barwick we stock a range of quality independent foods, toys, treats, apparel and other accessories, as well as Christmas presents, including selection boxes."

Part of the Dundas Shopping Centre, Dundas Market is the only indoor market in Middlesbrough. It has more than 20 exciting and welcoming market stalls, including the award-winning Brickyard Bakery, Sweet Corner, Jean’s Kitchen and Danny’s Family Butchers, selling everything from handbags to gladrags, furniture to fizzbombs, make ups to vapes, candles to mirrors, babywear to bhajis and low fat Chicken Shawarmas, as well as mobile phone and tablet repairs.

Harry’s Pet Emporium can be contacted on tel. 07401 789295 or via https://www.facebook.com/harryspetemporium/

True Instinct was launched following Natures Menu’s most successful PATS to date with hundreds of visitors to the Natures Menu stand over both show days. Over 180 True Instinct orders were secured with specialist pet retailers from across the UK.

True Instinct specialises in a complete and balanced range of grain and gluten free, natural raw and raw-inspired products. Its brand new range will offer highly nutritional, complete & balanced frozen raw, innovative freeze-dried raw and high meat fillets for both cats and dogs.

True Instinct will offer every meal across the formats in a variety of premium quality deboned meats, with vegetables, high quality botanicals and superfoods and no artificial colours flavours or preservatives.  The range will be available for Adult Dog, Small Adult Breeds, Puppy and Adult Cat across a number of variants.

Raw Boost is a particularly exciting development and a first for the UK pet market. Combining Natures Menu’s expertise in raw with the convenience of dry, the brand-new concept Raw Boost is the result of a partnership with dry food experts Affinity Petcare. Combining a high meat bite with a freeze dried raw meat nugget the product offers the benefits of raw meat ingredients surrounded by a wholesome blend of meat, fresh vegetables and botanicals.

Next in the range, True Instinct High Meat Fillets is the brand’s wet food offering, made up of premium steam-cooked shredded meat and fish fillets. The Adult Dog and Adult Small Breed Dog varieties contain 80 per cent deboned human grade meat, with the Adult Cat variety containing 90 per cent deboned human grade meat and fish.

Finally, True Instinct Raw Bites falls under the frozen raw category, bringing Natures Menu’s raw expertise to the forefront. As with all products in the range, each variety of Raw Bites contains at least 80 per cent deboned meat with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives and includes a wide range of superfood ingredients. The product will be available in Adult Dog, Adult Small Breed Dog, Puppy and Adult Cat varieties.

With over 35 years’ experience in feeding raw, and endorsement from a team of professional vets, Natures Menu are proud to be pioneers and innovators of Europe’s natural, raw and raw inspired pet food category.

True Instinct pet food ranges have been designed and formulated, using high quality natural ingredients, boasting the highest nutritional value to deliver a superior, responsibly sourced, wholesome, complete and balanced diet for pets.

The True Instinct range will be available to purchase at specialist pet stores and online at www.naturesmenu.co.uk/trueinstinct  from January 2018.

The owners of a pet shop in Hare Hatch, near Reading, are planning to renew their licence to sell puppies, despite mounting pressure from protesters.

After more than 18 months of petitioning, protesting and legal disputes, some campaigners thought they had convinced Wokingham Borough Council to stop Linton Pet Store from selling dogs.

A petition calling for the revocation of the store's licence, which has more than 20,000 signatures, stated the store "has been issued notice" by the council "to stop selling puppies."

But the local authority insists the licence has not been revoked, as owner Loridana Agius has complied with the conditions of their licence.

Councillor Norman Jorgensen, executive member for environmental health said: "The council is not aware of any link between Eric Hale, or any other breeders in Ireland, and Linton Pets.

"All puppies sold in the last 12 months have been supplied by licensed breeders and no irregularities were found with the paperwork supplied by their licensing authorities.

"The current licence allows Linton Pets to sell puppies from licensed breeders until October 4 in 2017."

The owner of Linton Pets, which is located in Ladds Garden Centre, told the getreading website they are planning to renew their licence, so she can continue to sell puppies.

The campaigners claim that the shop owners have been buying dogs from puppy farms, where bitches are overbred and their puppies are kept in squalid conditions.

Dozens of them frequently form picket lines outside the store in Bath Road.

However, the owners claim they have always bought dogs from licenced and responsible breeders and adhered to the conditions of their licence.

The grooming programme, in association with British Dog Groomers' Association and KD Grooming Studio, involved some of the country’s leading groomers, and the demonstrations highlighted the knowledge and expertise required to successfully complete all traditional grooming techniques.

KD Grooming Studio’s Kelly Davis, who is also Director for BDGA, said: “We thoroughly enjoyed running interactive demonstrations at PATS and we couldn't have been happier with the turnout. The entire event was really fantastic and the PATS team were an absolute pleasure to deal with throughout.”

Here Kelly gives her verdict on the new-look Grooming Workshop, and reveals why she thinks there is growing interest in this sector of the trade...

What pleased you the most?

The event was so well organised and there was such a good turnout that it's difficult to choose what we enjoyed most. The atmosphere was great and the visitors seemed to thoroughly enjoy taking part in our demonstrations, which was great. I always jump at the chance at teaching people about what we do so it was a great opportunity for my team and myself to be able to demonstrate our passion for grooming in a really fun and informative way. 

The audience seemed to enjoy playing a part in proceedings, that must have been pleasing?

We are really pleased with how many attendees we had and how much people were engaging with our demos. We were so busy from start to finish so we couldn't have been happier with the turnout. 

Did you get a good mix of groomers in the audience?

It seemed like quite an even mix between experienced groomers and beginners, which was great. We made sure that our demos were appropriate for anyone wanting to learn regardless of their skill level. 

How many breeds of dog took part in the demos?

We used eight different dog breeds for our demos. 

What was the most commonly asked question?

‘What blade are you using?’ seemed to come up quite a lot. 

Will you repeating this style of workshop at a future PATS show?

We literally can't wait to come back to PATS. We will be attending Sandown as visitors. We want to keep our seminars fresh and exciting for our attendees so I'm afraid everyone will have to wait until the next Telford show to see what else we have up our sleeves. 

Eurostitch Ltd, manufacturer of Lucky Pet premium pet bed range, has devised a unique and innovative scheme to support the independent pet trade in the UK.

The company, based in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, has invested in a new website for Lucky Pet, which allows a pet owner to place an order for a product which can then be collected from their local pet retailer.

“We would like to see Lucky Pet beds in the homes of every pet owner in the UK and will support independent retailers to make that happen,” says Eurostitch Managing Director Kay Wright.

“Small local shops on the high street are the lifeblood of towns and cities up and down the country. It’s important to keep local shops and businesses open because if the high street dies then the whole town can die with it.

“By coming up with this new initiative we will be supporting the local pet shop, something which makes us very proud. It’s doing our bit to help safeguard the high street.”

The new website www.luckypet.co.uk is designed to be very user friendly, helping the owner to make the right choice of bed for their pet, taking into consideration both size and breed.

 On the website there is a search engine for finding the nearest local stockist, within five miles of a consumer’s home. The owner can then order the product of their choice and pick it up from the pet shop listed on the website.

Should the consumer decide to order on line instead of visiting their local stockiest, Eurostitch will credit the Lucky Pet local stockist with the difference between the trade list price and the retail price quoted to the consumer on the website. Lucky Pet stockists could earn revenue even whilst closed and on items they do not carry in stock! Terms and conditions apply.

The website has also been tailored to Eurostitch trade customers, who can arrange visits, browse products, place orders, view special offers etc.

Eurostitch has been manufacturing the Lucky Pet range since 1992 and is proud to be able to offer its customers a range of quality products all made in Britain.

“We’re a family business and have strong values in everything we do,” says Kay. “Our aim has always been to support the independent retailer, who is able to offer customers a more personal, intimate service. As pet lovers and owners ourselves we know how important this is.”

Retailers interested in stocking the Lucky Pet range should email sales@eurostitich.co.uk

Building on its reputation for using scientific analysis of dogs’ natural feeding and digestive processes, Tribal has developed TLC (Truly Lower Celcius) cold-pressed dog food.

Specially designed to meet dogs’ nutritional requirements, Tribal TLC uses significantly lower temperatures in its production processes which better preserves the food’s nutritional content. 

This grain-free, hypoallergenic dog food appeals to increasingly health-conscious customers who are demanding premium and practical products at a competitive price. The unique nature of TLC is ideally suited to this growing trend, positioning retailers as specialists and allowing them to build rather than duplicate sales.

All of Tribal’s Ingredients are carefully selected for their nutritional value and ease of digestion. 

Fatima Maktari (right), the brainchild and founder of Tribal Pet Foods said: “Everyone at Tribal is passionate about giving dogs the best food possible. 

"We strongly believe that it’s what inside that counts, so every ingredient we use must be both high quality and biologically appropriate for a dog’s nutritional requirement.  If it doesn’t contribute to the overall nutritional value then it doesn’t go in the food.”

A truly cool food

The majority of other cold-pressed dog foods on the market contain a significant portion of ingredients that have been pre-treated at high temperatures (140^oC and above).  This high heat combined with the use of meat meal and fillers significantly reduces the food’s nutritional value.

Using its collective knowledge of science, nature and nutritional requirements, Tribal has developed a unique process that prioritises nutritional performance over ease of production.  By only using high quality ingredients and guaranteeing that at least 98% of all ingredients are processed below 95^oC, the nutritional potential of the food is optimised.

Dr Ronald Thomas, Tribal’s production elder, said:  “A key part of our scientific thinking is to use fresh meat proteins that have only had gentle cooking, unlike the by-products used in many other dry pet foods.  

"It is well known that proteins degrade in terms of their nutritional value through length or higher temperature while cooking, so the objective is for gentle cooking of both the ingredients selected and then during the cooking of the final pet food.  

"This approach has the added benefit of reducing loss of natural vitamins in the ingredients so less need be added for making the 100% complete finished food.  Safety is a priority, so the food is cooked sufficiently to ensure it is free of any pathogens.”

A little TLC goes a long way as TLC nuggets are denser than extruded kibbles so don’t absorb water. This makes them easier to digest and avoids uncomfortable bloating.  As a result pack sizes are smaller, optimising retailer’s shelf space and adding convenience for customers. The on-pack feeding guide helps customers select the right amount of food, whilst the interactive online version also provides a cost per day for their specific dog.

The launch of TLC is being supported with consumer advertising, PR and social media campaigns.  Retailers becoming part of the tribe will also benefit from exclusive offers, promotions and point of sale material to further boost sales.

Tribal TLC is the only cold-pressed dog food to offer the full range of life-stage foods, further increasing customer appeal and promoting long term loyalty.

Adult Turkey

• A blend of fresh turkey, sweet potato, vegetables and herbs specially formulated for adult dogs
• Fresh turkey meat provides a healthy protein source that is less allergenic than chicken.  It is highly digestible and dogs find it very palatable.
• Sizes & typical retail prices: 2.5kg £15.99, 12kg £65.99

Adult Salmon

• The perfect balance of fresh salmon and whole fish hydrolysate provides all the goodness of natural fish, with good fats perfect for a healthy, shiny coat. 
• Tribal TLC also packs in plenty of protein in easily digestible forms in addition to special supplements to support joints.
•  Sizes & typical retail prices: 2.5kg £16.99, 12kg £69.99

Senior Turkey

• The only specialist cold pressed dog food currently formulated for senior and overweight dogs.
• For older or overweight dogs this recipe provides fewer calories balanced by twice as much support for joints in an easily digestible nugget which is kind on the digestive system.
•  Sizes & typical retail prices: 2.5kg £15.99, 12kg £65.99

Puppy Turkey

• The only specialist cold pressed dog food currently formulated for puppies.
• Specially formulated to meet needs of youngsters, these small sized nuggets are perfect for supporting puppies from weaning through to adulthood.
• TLC puppy is higher in proteins and healthy fats which growing puppies need to help them grow happily and healthily. 
• Uniquely, it also contains Brewer’s Yeast which provides mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS) proven to support the immune system.
• Sizes & typical retail prices: 2.5kg £15.99, 5kg £30.99

For more information on Tribal’s range of natural dog food and treats contact the elders on 0800 085 7440 or visit www.tribalpetfoods.co.uk

Recruitment specialist Lynda Ward, owner of Pet Trade Solutions, is celebrating 35 years in an industry that she describes as being 'topsy-turvy'.

“In the early 1980s the UK’s traditional supply chain could be best described as a pyramid shape," said Lynda. 

"There was a relatively small number of manufacturers or their agents at the top supplying a large number of medium and small sized wholesalers in the middle, who in turn supplied a very large number of small independent retailers and a few small chains at the base of the pyramid.

"Gradually, but with increased impetus over the last 15 years, the pyramid has turned upside down. Now, there is a much smaller number of independent retailers plus large chains at the peak, supplied in part by fewer but bigger wholesalers, and in part and increasingly direct, by a wide base of manufacturers or their agents.

"Added to this, probably the biggest change has been the rapid growth in online retailing direct to the public which has completely skewed the picture and been a major challenge to manufacturers, suppliers and retailers alike – everyone trying to take advantage of the opportunities whilst keeping all their customers happy.”

Lynda attended PATS Telford and met up with people from the whole spectrum of the industry who were around at the beginning of her career.

"There were many comments at PATS about how things have changed over the years," added Lynda. "Is it for the better or for worse? Opinions are varied but we are all happy and grateful to still be enjoying the trade and to have made so many genuine friends and acquaintances along the way.”

Lynda is always happy to personally advise on aspects of recruitment and marketing strategy and can be contacted on 07946 743784 or at lyndaward@pettradesolutions.com

The Pet Clean 360, which has been designed for large and small dogs, has an adjustable water ring which surrounds a pet with 30 gentle sprays of water.

A refillable shampoo and rinse function is built in to the device, which switches easily between clean water and shampoo settings.

Pet Clean 360 connects to any standard garden hose and is lightweight and easy to use. The folding mechanism makes for easy and convenient storage.

An additional benefit of the Pet Clean 360 is the facility to cool a pet down during the summer months.

An attractive space efficient full colour display module, complete with video showing the product in use, is available with each stand deal purchased.

The RRP of Pet Clean 360 is £19.99.

For more information call 01480 443753 or visit www.crest-garden.com

Running throughout October, it is Ceva’s third TV campaign this year to raise awareness of the benefits of FELIWAY and ADAPTIL amongst pet owners. 

The campaign will kick off with a FELIWAY CLASSIC advertisement from October 3-16 and will then be followed by an ADAPTIL advertisement until October 30, ideally timed for the run up to the firework season.

The new TV advertising campaign will target 18.5 million pet owners and it will air on all the C4 channels, including Channel 4, E4, More4, Film4, Drama, Good Food, Really, W and Home, with two spots during the popular Channel 4 TV show Great British Bake Off, which has 6.7 million viewers.

The 30 second TV advertisements will feature the real-life story of Cassius Disco the rescue cat and his owners, and Finley the dog and his owners. 

Cassius Disco’s owners had carried out a lot of work on the house and had recently had a baby causing Cassius to become tense and in turmoil.  

The TV advertisement shows Cassius after using the FELIWAY CLASSIC Diffuser in the household and his owners describing how he had become happier, more confident and less stressed around the baby.

Finley’s advertisement focuses on his firework fears and how an ADAPTIL Diffuser helped to calm and reassure him while fireworks were going off in the neighbourhood.

The TV advertising campaign will be supported by a Sky Adsmart and social media campaign for ADAPTIL.

“Our autumn FELIWAY and ADAPTIL TV advertising campaign is our biggest, most extensive campaign to date.  It demonstrates our commitment to raising awareness of how anxiety in pets can affect the relationship with their owners and how FELIWAY and ADAPTIL can help,” comments Claire Russell, product manager for FELIWAY and ADAPTIL at Ceva Animal Health. 

For further information on FELIWAY and ADAPTIL visit www.feliway.com or www.adaptil.com.

Animology Feline Fresh cat wipes, the newest addition to the company's cat grooming range, picked up the award with judges commenting: "This product fills a gap for cat owners, adding a wipe specifically for cats. It is another great addition to a popular range and also has a fantastic smell."

The South Ribble-based company, which was launched in 1999, also won the International Achievement Award at the Red Rose Awards earlier this year as a result of the company’s impressive export growth.

The full Animology range of cat, dog & equine grooming products is available in over 50 countries worldwide and Feline Fresh cat wipes will add to this growing portfolio.

“There seems to be a growing trend in the industry to pass imitation off as innovation," said Group55 Managing Director Stephen Turner. "We never launch a product that has been benchmarked against a competitor, we invest in NPD and always seek to set new standards for the sectors we work in.

"It is encouraging that the judges at PATS have acknowledged all our hard work and investment to deliver new products of purpose and benefit.”

Animology Feline Fresh Cat Wipes are available now – 20 Wipes SRP £4.00.

For more information visit www.animology.co.uk or contact sales@group55.co.uk

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Janice Latreche, from Oldham, says her Springer Spaniel crossbreed Milton is alive today thanks to the training she received during a pet first aid course run by vet charity PDSA.

The 48-year-old was at home when her beloved puppy began choking and gasping for breath.

She said: “Milton had somehow got hold of one of my grandson’s action figure toys and was choking on it.

“I could see that he was struggling to breathe but I didn’t panic and remembered the skills I had learned on the PDSA course.

"I tried to see if I could pull the toy out from his mouth but I couldn’t, so I used a technique which is like an animal equivalent of the Heimlich manoeuvre - and it just popped out.”

As soon as the toy became dislodged Milton was able to breathe and Janice calmed him down before taking him to her vet for a check-up.

Kylie Jones, PDSA vet nurse who taught Janice, said Milton’s case proved why it was important for people to learn basic pet first aid skills.

“Life-threatening emergencies can occur at any time and require speedy action, so it’s important to know what to do in a situation like this," added Kylie.

"Many people have a basic understanding of first aid for humans but when it comes to pets, a lot of people wouldn’t know what to do.

“Knowing how to respond in an emergency, and being prepared, can make the difference between life and death.

“That’s why we want to pass on this vital information to pet owners and we’re really grateful to players of People’s Postcode Lottery, as they’re funding a series of Pet First Aid courses across the UK this year.”

Janice, who works as a community engagement officer for housing association New Charter Homes, said: “If I hadn’t done the course I don’t think Milton would have made it as I wouldn’t have known what to do. I’m so grateful to PDSA for everything I’ve learned and I think a pet first aid course is something every pet owner should consider doing.”

PDSA vets say it’s important to be prepared in an emergency and are advising pet owners to keep a ‘pet friendly’ first aid kit at home that can also be used while travelling. Pet owners should also keep their vets’ phone number in their phone contacts to help save valuable time in the event of an emergency.

Kylie added: “Learning CPR for pets can also be beneficial. Speak to your vet for advice on attending a veterinary-led first aid course, to learn how to deliver CPR and other techniques.”

For further advice visit www.pdsa.org.uk/firstaid

The new resource was developed to enable SQPs to remotely access AMTRA accredited CPD via Ceva’s SQP Online Training School portal – www.cevacpd.co.uk - however non-SQPs can also register to view the training tool. 

Topics covered focus on canine and feline behaviour and each course lasts for 40-45 minutes and carries four AMTRA CPD points.

The canine behaviour course features five modules including:

• an introduction to canine pheromones and communication
• canine behaviour
• canine pheromonatherapy
• dog appeasing pheromone (DAP) – the evidence
• summary and dog owner discussion points

The feline behaviour course modules consist of:

• an introduction to feline pheromones and communication
• feline behaviour’, ‘feline pheromonatherapy
• feline facial pheromone (F3)
• cat appeasing pheromone (CAP) – the evidence
• summary and cat owner discussion points

Each module lasts between five minutes and 12 minutes and a CPD quiz becomes available once all modules have been viewed sequentially.  Eight out of 10 questions need to be answered correctly to enable SQPs to be awarded the AMTRA CPD points.

“Ceva’s new SQP Online Training School portal was developed to provide additional support to SQPs and enable them to quickly and easily view AMTRA accredited CPD while improving their knowledge of canine and feline behaviour,” comments Emma Wright, retail trainer and SQP advisor at Ceva Animal Health. 

“Non-SQPs can also benefit from accessing the canine and feline behaviour training modules to help broaden knowledge, create pet owner discussion points and improve and enhance customer service and engagement.”

For further information or to register visit www.cevacpd.co.uk or contact Ceva Animal Health on 01494 781510.

Henry Bell & Co (Grantham) Ltd has extended its portfolio of premium animal feed products to include the new EQUIGLO brand delivering first-class equine nutrition at great value-for-money prices.

The first product from the EQUIGLO stable is Quick Soak 10 MINUTE BEET, which is perfect for all horses and ponies.

“This product offers retailers a fantastic opportunity to stock quality fibre feed at a really good price point,” said Simon Parker, of Henry Bell. “We have been a trusted name in the feed sector since 1825 and are immensely proud of the knowledge and expertise that underpins the EQUIGLO range. We are confident that Quick Soak 10 MINUTE BEET will prove a popular feed option for customers, with easy-to-handle, 18kg bags and an attractive price tag.”

The high-fibre, low-sugar and starch feed is a member of the BETA NOPS assurance scheme and made from non-GM, British-grown, unmolassed and micronized sugar beet, which is highly digestible and acts as a natural probiotic in the horse’s gut.

 A 100% natural British superfood, EQUIGLO Quick Soak 10 MINUTE BEET provides a convenient source of non-heating energy for working horses and ponies all year round – and is perfect for those prone to laminitis. It is an ideal replacement for cereal-based feeds and forage, particularly for veterans with poor dentition or when quality is poor.

EQUIGLO Quick Soak 10 MINUTE BEET (18kg): RRP £9.95.

When did you buy the pet shop?

We purchased the business in November 2010. It was an established but very traditional pet shop that relied heavily on the sale of mainstream brands and animals.

What state was it in when you took it over?

The condition of the shop was very poor. It was only 220sq feet in size and had no storage available. There had been very limited financial investment over the 30 years it had been open. We discovered that many of the products being sold were either out of date, badly damaged or were infested with insects.The business had also earned a bad reputation locally due to the cramped conditions in which animals were being housed, and the general untidiness of its presentation to customers.

How did you set about reversing its fortunes?

Despite the condition and reputation of the shop, we could see real potential in the business. It was clear to us that the town could benefit from a well ran shop that offered better quality products, exceptional customer service and put animal welfare above profits. We made an immediate decision to stop selling pets, in order to change the image and focus of the business. The interior and exterior were decorated, with new lighting fitted and new external signage erected to ensure anyone passing on the high street would see it had changed ownership. We also rearranged the internal layout to better present our products and allow people to move more freely inside the shop.

What have you changed over time?

Over a two year period we gradually removed all mainstream and supermarket brands and replaced these with high quality pet foods, treats and accessories from predominantly UK based companies. We have strong ethics and principles, and will delist products without hesitation if manufacturers or suppliers go back on their promises, deliver poor service or reduce the quality of their products.

Has it been a long road?

Absolutely! We spent five years in our original premises and throughout that time faced significant challenges with having no available storage, unreasonable landlords and shaking off the negative image of the business in the town. It is only since moving from the high street to Frodsham Railway Station in September 2015 that we have been able to operate our business in a way that makes us truly proud of what we have to offer.



What made you choose Frodsham Railway Station when you relocated?
We chose the station because there was simply no other alternative available. We'd been searching for six months in and around the town without success as our lease was coming to an end, and renewing this in our old premises was not an option. We even contemplated closing the business down if we couldn't find somewhere. But as soon as we viewed the vacant Stationmasters House we could see it had great potential for us to offer a completely different retail experience. What swung it was Network Rail's tenancy agreement; their terms are much more flexible than most archaic commercial leases that are written in favour of protecting the landlord's interests.

Was there a retail unit there before you moved in?
The building had been fully renovated by Network Rail only a few years ago and had been home to around three businesses before we came along.  Being new/startup businesess they struggled to make the location work for them and didn't last longer than a few months each. As an established business, for us it was a no brainer - we had a loyal customer base from our previous shop and we were confident they would follow us wherever we moved to in the town.

Is it a busy station on a main line?
Frodsham Railway Station is a local stop located on the main line between Manchester and Chester. It gets busy at the start and end of each day with commuters, but is much quieter during the daytime and at weekends.

Do you get lots of rail passengers coming into your shop?
We frequently get a few people coming in to have a look around whilst waiting for their train. Many comment positively on the layout and appearance of our premises, but we have a few that cannot help but remark on it being a strange location for a pet shop! As a lot of commuters travel from other towns to take advantage of the free parking in Frodsham, they are unaware of what we offer and how we operate. We intend to remedy this by erecting some temporary banners up on the external walls to raise awareness of our award to people passing through the station.

What sets you apart from the rest?

The independent pet trade is constantly evolving, and we try and stay on top of this – for example by being innovative in the products we source and the way we display them. When we moved premises we completely changed the look and feel of our shop as we wanted to create an exciting and different retail experience for our customers. Many of our ideas, designs and initiatives are now being adopted in other pet shops in the area.

What’s the secret of your success?

We don’t believe there are any secrets to success. A lot of it is just common sense and ensuring you maximise the potential of your business by understanding your market and customers. Not everything works in every location, and you cannot simply copy what another business does and expect it to work where you are. It’s about finding what does work well for you and developing your business around it. You have to be willing to try new things and accept that not everything you do will be successful.

What advice would you give someone with an ailing pet business?

We've visited lots of independent pet shops over the years and the majority that are in decline offer zero point of difference for customers. Many are still trying to survive by competing in an endless price war with discounters, who will ultimately win each and every time. If your business is struggling to stay afloat, be brave and make a step change in what you do and how you do it. Speak to other successful independents for ideas - they are not your enemy - the enemy are the large pet chains, supermarkets and online retailers, and the big corporates who are supplying them with the same products you sell but at massively discounted prices. Getting involved with community-focused events such as sponsoring local dog walks, and teaming up with other independent retailers to promote town-wide initiatives can help to indirectly promote your business and increase sales. Being open, honest and transparent in how you operate is really important as people favour businesses with strong ethics and principles and are more likely to remain loyal to them. We recommend shops ask themselves why they sell what they sell... we asked ourselves that very question years ago and have never looked back. Remember: the most dangerous words in retail are “we’ve always done it that way”.

What does the award mean to you?

We entered the PetQuip awards in 2016 and won “Highly Commended” which we were delighted with. We decided not to enter this year but were genuinely surprised to hear that some of our suppliers had recommended us for the award; this was a real honour for us and meant a great deal to us personally. We are incredibly proud to have won Gold in the category in 2017 against some serious competition from other long-established and innovative businesses across the UK.