Pets at Home has opened a store within a Tesco Extra in Durham, and the news has already raised concern among independent pet retailers.

One pet shop in ther North-East told Pet Trade Xtra: “This is a worry for independent pet shops which have relied on lines not in the supermarket to draw customer into their shops.

“Products that have never appeared in Tesco are now on the shelves inside the supermarket.”

Pets at Home have yet to confirm whether this new store inside the Tesco Extra on Dragonville Industrial Estate will be repeated throughout the rest of the country but independent retailers fear it could be the first of many.

The store was officially opened by Lisa and Thomas Dixon from Dogs for Good and their assistance dog, Vito, on Saturday.

Store manager Jill Allen has been with Pets at Home for over two years, having previously worked at the Alnwick branch.

She said: “What a fantastic start! Our opening weekend went even better than we had hoped and it was great to have Lisa, Thomas and Vito attend the launch and show them all the products we have on offer at the store.

“Our new store features thousands of dedicated pet products for not only local dogs and cats but small animals, fish and local wildlife too.”

According to Pets at Home, all staff at the new store receive extensive training on pet care and pet knowledge which is endorsed by City & Guilds, providing a stamp of approval that demonstrates the value of its training. Colleagues at the Durham store are dedicated to providing the highest levels of customer service, and are trained to offer great pet care tips and product knowledge.

The store includes a pet pharmacy which will provide a large range of health care products including supplements, first aid, dental care and flea and worms treatments.

The new store opening hours will be 8am-10pm Monday – Saturday and 10am-4pm on Sundays.