An independent pet retailer is rethinking a decision to close following a ‘massive’ show of support from customers and other local businesses.

Ideal Pet Stores in Clitheroe, Lancashire, said it faced closure due to a lack of customers and sales.

Owner Phillip Preston announced on the store’s Facebook page: “It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that we are writing this post. Unfortunately, due to a lack of customers and sales we will have no option but to close our shop early next year unless things improve dramatically. 

“Since the pandemic it’s been very difficult not only for us but for everyone in general. I know it’s now so easy to go online or get everything or pick it up while you’re shopping at the supermarket which is why we offer free delivery in Clitheroe and try our best to price match or often beat the online giants’ prices. 

“Please if you’ve any pets or you feed the wild birds or anything please come and support us because otherwise we won’t be here much longer. We want to thank all our customers for their continued support. We love our job and our business and to have to write this post is so upsetting. Please help us stay open.”

The online post attracted 107 comments of support from customers and other retailers in the area.

A day later, Phillip vowed in another social media post to carry on, urging the public to shop local and support small businesses.

He said: “WOW! Just WOW!! Paula and myself here at Ideal Pet Stores would like to thank every single person that liked, shared, commented, messaged us and just showed us massive amounts of support. We are still trying to get back to everyone’s messages and comments so if we do miss one please don’t be offended. We just can’t believe the response we got from everyone. 

“A big thanks also to the other businesses that messaged and shared our post. To have another business say they feel the same as us and want to help was just overwhelming – all saying the same thing, all agreeing that sometimes as a small business you wake up and think ‘what’s the point? I’d earn more just working elsewhere’. 

But we carry on, not because we think we will one day be rich but because we love what we do. From pet shops to painting pots, from cupcakes to cooked meats, we all try to do our best for our customers and to just stay afloat. 

“As shoppers, we are all guilty of not supporting our local shops and businesses, even us, but if we all tried to support them a bit more it would make a big difference in the end. The towns would still have your little independent shops, the markets would still have the variety of stalls we all want to see and money spent in the community, stays in the community. Otherwise we will end up living in towns with no shops, no markets, no atmosphere or friendly faces. Just soulless retail parks, derelict town centre streets and empty market places. We say it every year but please, wherever and whenever you can, shop local, support your small businesses, keep the community and towns alive and a place to people want to visit. 

Again thank you all so much for the support, messages and shares, most of all we hope and pray that it helps not only our business stay alive but helps all small businesses, and the way we all think and shop.”

Picture credit: Ideal Pet Stores' Facebook page.