BUSINESSES are benefiting from the expansion of an acclaimed independent pet retailer.

PetPlace has enjoyed a significant period of growth, revamping its Abergele store to include a cinema and play park, opening a new headquarters in Kinmel Bay and recently unveiling a revamped building in Llangefni.

The 25,000 sq ft site also includes a play park, dog wash and coffee bar and was redeveloped by Old Colwyn-based Parra’s Construction.

Managing Director Simon Pritchard, who has more than 20 years’ experience in the sector, said it was a pleasure to work with PetPlace, adding: “We were extremely excited to be a part of this project to transform the existing facility into a new retail and dog play area which would act as a blueprint for their other stores in North Wales.

“The existing structure was tired and in desperate need of modernisation, so it was a huge transformation with a relatively small team and a lot of hard work.

“I think the finished product speaks for itself, and a lot of that is testament to the staff who continued to operate while works were undertaken. It is also a credit to the management’s forward thinking and vision – we were delighted to play a part in bringing that to life.”

Meanwhile, Oxfordshire-based Knowledge Ltd was tasked with installing digital software and technology across the state-of-the-art store.

Technical Director Nick Hill said: “We were excited by their vision and after travelling up to North Wales to see the layout for ourselves identified three key areas where digital signage could be used to enhance the customer journey, from enticing passing trade through to highlighting key product information and promotions.

“The final installation comprised of three high-brightness window displays, a freestanding 55” ‘Totem’ and eight smaller wall-mounted displays, all paired with a cloud-based content management system which allows full HTML-5, video and still image content to be deployed to all displays remotely and in real-time.

“All of which provides an immersive experience that guides customers on their journey through the store.”

The final touches were placed by Sure Retail, whose Crewe team – led by Business Development Director Giles Martin – are specialists in equipment and display solutions.

He said: “I often see correlation in working with companies that share our values, and us delivering stores I’m particularly proud of.

“PetPlace Llangefni is a prime example of this, as like us they are passionate about offering the best to their customers. Utilising innovation and creativity, whilst prioritising quality, ethics, and sustainability, throughout.”

Giles added: “The result is a true ‘destination store’, a purpose-built, engaging environment focused on customer experience and servicing the community, as well as individuals.

“It’s our privilege to assist in the realisation of PetPlace’s commendable vision, and we hope customers and staff will continue to enjoy this store for many years to come.”

PetPlace’s Managing Director Sion Pritchard thanked them for bringing the dream to fruition and said the firm is committed to supporting SMEs and small businesses and boosting the economy, both locally and across the UK.

“The result is a flagship store we are all very proud of,” he said.

“The response since opening has been incredible and Llangefni will now be held up as a benchmark for quality, innovation and customer service for pets and their owners – that was the vision we had all along, and they helped us to realise it.”

For more information on PetPlace, including the PetPlace Plus+ loyalty app, follow @petplaceUK on Facebook and Instagram or email sales@farmandpetplace.co.uk. The app is available on platforms including Google Play and The App Store. 

PETPLACE joined forces with a leading animal play company to host a UK-first event for dogs and their owners.

The North Wales retailer’s revamped 25,000 sq ft Llangefni store held exercise and games sessions in partnership with Kong Company Ltd.

Kong ambassador and esteemed dog behaviour specialist Diane Kasperowicz shared an insight into how dogs play, with a focus on health and wellbeing and the best ways to enhance recall, improve nose work, and sharpen cognitive abilities.

Paul Ratcliffe from Kong thanked PetPlace for showcasing the “power of play” and added: “We chose to partner with them because their enthusiasm and attitude towards the welfare of dogs matches our own.

“This was the first event of its type ever held in the UK, so for it to take place over two days at PetPlace’s Llangefni store and dog park was fantastic.

“We rely on the knowledge of educated retail staff to ensure Kong products meet the needs of dogs, and after all, dogs need to play, so it’s an important connection.

“We often come across owners who show little or no interest in play, or don’t know how best to form a bond with their pet, so these sessions gave them lots of tips and advice they can take away for the future.”

Diane met with owners without their dogs, then held activities and exercises with them and their pets to see what toys their canine companions preferred, encouraging interaction to ensure more fun when out on walks or in the home.

PetPlace’s Business Development Manager Matt Davies thanked everyone who came along to the sessions.

“We have had a long and successful relationship with Kong, but this is the first time we’ve ever done anything like this,” he said.

“The feedback from our members was really positive so it’s something we will definitely look to do again in the future.”

Matt added: “PetPlace and Kong are known nationwide for pushing the envelope and being at the forefront of advances in the industry, and this was another example of that.”

For more information on PetPlace, including the PetPlace Plus+ loyalty app, follow @petplaceUK on Facebook and Instagram or email sales@farmandpetplace.co.uk. The app is available on platforms including Google Play and The App Store. 

If you were unable to attend the event, and for more information, visit the ‘Classroom’ page on the Kong website: www.kongcompany.com.

HUNDREDS of customers and special guests attended the grand opening of a much-anticipated pet store.

PetPlace unveiled its revamped 25,000 sq ft Llangefni site at the weekend.

There was plenty for curious canines and their two-legged friends to enjoy including an obstacle course, face painting, free ice cream, special offers, micro-chipping clinics, brand discounts and a host of games and activities.

World-renowned animal psychologist Roger Mugford – who trained the late Queen’s corgis – held free behaviour sessions, and the RSPCA and independent businesses and suppliers were on hand to share information and showcase unique products, centred on health, wellbeing, and safety.

PetPlace owners Sion Pritchard and Paul Penketh thanked everyone who came along for being part of the special day, and for supporting a raffle in aid of the company’s chosen charity, Hope House Hospice.

“We were overwhelmed by the response, from the minute the doors opened we were busy all day, it was incredible,” said Paul.

“For us it was about giving the pets and their owners a unique experience, and not just for one day, this was a flavour of the innovative and exciting developments we have in the pipeline for Llangefni and our other stores in the years ahead.”

Sion added: “In addition to the retail side of things we will be launching a new play park and coffee bar for dogs at Llangefni in the summer.

“This is another step forward for PetPlace as we align our sites under the new brand, and we would like to thank everyone who came along to our open day and all of our loyal customers for your continued support.”

As well as Llangefni, the company has stores in Abergele, Ruthin, Mold, Gledrid (Oswestry) and a headquarters in Kinmel Bay.

Among the representatives from independent firms celebrating the opening on Saturday were Gill Thomas-Jones from sustainable health and beauty range Mountain Garden Botanics, based in New Brighton, Wrexham, and Jo Parr, owner of Merseyside-based The Dog Bowl Deli.

“We are a fun way of getting healthy treats into dogs, with a human twist as the treats are modelled on cakes, cookies, donuts and more while being completely natural, full of vegetables and fresh ingredients,” said Jo.

“We are already in the Abergele play park and look forward to being part of the new park here at Llangefni as we love working in partnership with PetPlace and congratulate them on today’s event.”

Gill added: “We have a long-standing relationship with PetPlace and are honoured to be here today at the revamped store.

“The team have always supported us as a local business and to be able to display our selection of handmade shampoos, soaps, deodorant bars, candles and other items – all palm oil, cruelty and plastic free – is huge for us. Well done to everyone here on a brilliant day and good luck for the future.”

Those words were reinforced by Roger, who says the PetPlace model should be followed by other retailers in the sector.

“The staff are friendly and approachable, the variety of stock is mind-boggling and all of it focused on the health and wellbeing of pets,” he said.

“I’ve said before that PetPlace is leading the world in supporting pets and their owners and this store has taken it to a whole new level.”

For more information on PetPlace, including the PetPlace Plus+ loyalty app, follow @petplaceUK on Facebook and Instagram or email sales@farmandpetplace.co.uk. The app is available on platforms including Google Play and The App Store. 

AN ACCLAIMED pet retailer has invested more than £250,000 in powering ahead with its net-zero vision.

PetPlace has installed up to 450 solar panels at its stores in Abergele and Llangefni, with Ruthin, Mold and Gledrid, Oswestry, set to follow.

The business has also introduced electric charging points at Gledrid, Llangefni and its Kinmel Bay headquarters – with Mold and Abergele next to have them – and they now have electric rather than gas forklift vehicles, electric company cars and digital display screens, which they hope will help towards the reduction of printed material.

Owners Sion Pritchard and Paul Penketh enlisted Tremeirchion and St Asaph-based Hafod Renewable Energy to supply and fit the panels and worked closely with other local firms to support the North Wales economy and push ahead with its ‘green vision’ as a sustainable, responsible employer, one of the leading names in the pet retail arena.

“The investment in solar panels alone will result in a carbon saving of around 40 tons of C02 per year, so long-term we will see the benefits,” said Sion.

“Initially we have focused on Abergele and Llangefni, but we will look to roll out as we rebrand and refurbish our other stores.

“All of our vehicles are now electric – including forklift trucks in the warehouses – and we are more sustainable than ever before, with more energy efficiency improvements to follow.”

He added: “As well as Hafod Renewable Energy we have worked closely with Gwynedd Forklifts and Rawson EV Power, two North Wales companies that helped us with these projects and others over the years.

“We are focused on supporting local businesses in all sectors, not just our own, which also lowers our carbon footprint and further strengthens the economy in this region at a challenging time for all industries.”

David Jones founded Hafod Renewable Energy in 2010 with his late father Richard.

He was delighted to work with PetPlace and said: “It was a big project which equated to around a quarter of an acre of solar panels.

“The installation took a couple of weeks from start to finish and also included more than 1km of mounting rail and a battery system that will store energy to run their freezers overnight, producing more than 160,000kwh per year – enough to power 50 homes.”

David added: “It was fantastic to work in partnership with such a respected, growing business which has embraced sustainability and renewable energy.

“Due to the energy crisis – which has resulted in a surge in enquiries – we are also expanding, opened a new head office and taken on two more staff so it’s a very busy time for us.”

For more on Hafod Renewable Energy, visit www.hafodrenewables.co.uk.

For more information on PetPlace, including the PetPlace Plus+ loyalty app, follow @petplaceUK on Facebook and Instagram or email hello@farmandpetplace.co.uk.

A GROUNDBREAKING pet retailer is focused on building even stronger relations with sustainable start-ups and innovative independent businesses.

PetPlace owners Sion Pritchard and Paul Penketh are targeting more bespoke suppliers and products designed to improve the health and wellbeing of animals, and fledgling firms looking to support the pet trade now and in the future.

The company, which is based in Kinmel Bay and has stores in Abergele, Ruthin, Mold, Llangefni and Chirk, already stocks many environmentally friendly items on its shelves but Sion says they plan to take things further in the months ahead.

“We are opening the doors to smaller, independent suppliers who specialise in the health and wellbeing of animals and want to be part of the pet industry,” he said.

“A lot of retail chains stock pet goods but without the emphasis on sustainability, the environment and creating innovative products that will make a difference to the pets, their owners and ultimately, the planet.

“We want to hear from the innovators, anyone with an idea that’s in motion or a start-up with an exciting new product that could cause a stir in the sector.

Sion added: “At PetPlace we are very different from the norm, we want to support the pet trade specifically and move forward together, away from the mass-market consumer approach to a more dedicated, proactive and tailored offering, ensuring our team members have as much knowledge as possible to share with our customers.”

Among the sustainable firms already working with Sion and the team is Adios Plastic, a Kent-based husband and wife partnership who launched their plastic-free biodegradable poo bag business in 2018.

Twenty million sales later, Ben and Sadie Dodd (pictured) are aiming to continue the compostable theme with pet wipes manufactured in the UK that naturally break down into the environment and serve as food to be consumed by microorganisms.

Ben said: “When we started there were a lot of poo bags on the market and the vast majority were plastic, which can take hundreds of years to break down.

“We wanted to do something different and after a lot of research began producing bags made from Cornstarch. From that we developed a range of colours – including our popular rainbow packs – that stood out from the standard options available, and it took off from there.”

He added: “We began supplying PetPlace during the pandemic and love everything they stand for; they are a model customer and have really got behind our brand.

“We grew 600% during first year of lockdown and another 200% in the last year, passing the 20 million sales mark in the UK alone, which as well as being great for us as a company has had a big impact on the environment.

“People are switching from plastic and it’s having a knock-on effect, this is where the industry is going which is great to see and so important.”

Another to work closely with PetPlace over the last year is Gillian Thomas-Jones, owner of Mountain Garden Botanics, based in New Brighton, Wrexham.

Having already created handmade shampoo and soaps for pets and humans – all palm oil, cruelty and plastic-free – she is using raw ingredients to create unique lines including an anti-pecking spray for chickens, and a calming mist for dogs and horses.

“It has been a steep learning curve, working long hours to develop the branding, a website, coming up with new ideas and doing all of that while ensuring this is a completely natural series of products with natural packaging,” said Gillian.

“With the support of customers like PetPlace, who are a breath of fresh air, we can work together to manufacture and supply products dedicated to the health and happiness of animals and their owners, which will always be our number one priority.”

Visit www.mountaingardenbotanics.co.uk for more on Mountain Garden Botanics, and www.adiosplastic.co.uk for the latest news and information from Adios Plastic.

For more information on PetPlace, including the PetPlace Plus+ loyalty app, follow @petplaceUK on Facebook and Instagram or email buying@farmandpetplace.Co.uk.