High Street
The high street remains a vital battleground for pet retailers, balancing in-person service with growing digital competition. Pet Gazette covers the role of independent pet shops, regional chains, and national retailers on UK high streets — reporting on shop openings and closures, rent pressures, footfall trends, and evolving customer expectations. We also examine localised marketing strategies, product merchandising, and how high street stores adapt to omni-channel retail. For wholesalers and suppliers, this tag offers visibility into the challenges and opportunities facing brick-and-mortar stockists across towns and cities.
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May- 2019 -21 MayAppointment
Bestpets appoint David Warren as pet accessory manager
Pet trade distributor, Bestpets has announced it has appointed David Warren as manager of pet accessories. Warren’s experience spans 40 years within the wholesale sector, having previously worked for Batleys. Peter Brame, director of trading for pet, said: “We’re pleased to welcome David to the team, in what is an…
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15 MayFeatures
Competitive vet practices
Over the last few years, the veterinary sector has gone through a number of changes, including many practices now being owned by corporate groups – in 2018 the figure reached 50% of practices. This percentage is predicted to increase to 70% in the next five years. Many health products are…
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Nov- 2018 -29 NovemberCurrent Affairs
A challenging retail environment
The last few months have been tough for UK retailers and with pressure on the high street unlikely to let up any time soon, factors such as Brexit, rising costs and online competition have left British merchants with little to celebrate. Although the macroeconomic picture seems to have improved more…
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Oct- 2018 -29 OctoberRetailers
Autumn Budget 2018: Business rates cut for SMEs and new digital services tax
Chancellor Philip Hammond has confirmed plans to give smaller retailers a 33 percent cut to business rates and introduced a new digital services tax for companies with at least £500m in global revenue. The reduction in rates will take place over the next two years and is expected to save…
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Sep- 2018 -5 SeptemberBusiness
Couple set up Heights Farm Premium Pet Foods franchise in Preston
Married couple Alison and Steve Critchley have set up a new franchise delivering premium quality pet food in the Preston area as part of the Bolton-based Heights Farm Premium Pet Foods’ operation. The couple have run various businesses over the years including a grocers off license in Church and separately,…
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3 SeptemberPet Owners
Printing company offers free posters for missing pets
Online printing company Doxdirect, is offering 50 free missing pet posters to owners whose pets have gone missing. Pet owners are required to upload a Word document of PDF file with the design of their posters, and enter their details on the company’s checkout page. The posters should contain contact…
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Jul- 2018 -13 JulyRetailers
Bumper June footfall sees record increase of 11.4 percent
UK retailers benefited from record month-on-month growth in footfall for June, with a 11.4 percent increase in high street traffic compared with May. Compared with the same period last year, footfall was 7.8 percent lower, but June did deliver a reduction in the year-on-year deficit for the fourth successive month,…
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9 JulyBusiness
UK Treasury rejects retailers’ business rates reform calls
The UK Treasury has today rejected calls from retailers who say business rates should be reformed to create a level playing field with online retailers. During a meeting of parliament’s Treasury Select Committee, chancellor Philip Hammond said reforming international corporation tax was a higher priority for the government, adding that…
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6 JulyRetailers
Retail sales fall for fifth consecutive month
Retail sales fell for the fifth month in a row in June, data from BDO’s High Street Sales Tracker has shown. Total in-store like-for-like sales were down 1.7 percent compared with last year, when the figures rose 1.3 percent. It is also the ninth consecutive month that sales growth figures…
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4 JulyBusiness
BRC calls for two-year freeze on business rates
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has asked the government to consider freezing business rates for two years to ease the pressure on retailers. By proposing a two-year freeze on increases, the BRC said it would give time for the government and industry to develop a proposal for an updated taxation…
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