A STATIONERY store in Great Malvern has been voted the best dog friendly shop on the high street.
Austin and Co were recognised at the DogFriendly Awards, organised by DogFriendly and supported by the Kennel Club, at a special presentation at Eukanuba Discover Dogs in London.
The Belle Vue Terrace store won the ‘Shop’ category for an incredible fourth time in a row.
The dog-loving public voted in their thousands for their favourite dog friendly businesses as a way of celebrating those that go the extra mile to make man’s best friend feel welcome.
Reasons members of the public gave for nominating Austin and Co included ‘being allowed to look around with your pooch is a delight’ and ‘it is great to choose from fantastic stationery with help from your furry friend’.
Sean Austin, the owner of Austin and Co, was unable to collect the award on the day, but upon hearing that the shop had won he said: “We are literally dog bowl-ed over to have won the title of the most dog friendly shop for the fourth year in a row.
“We are extremely grateful to all those who took the time out of their busy schedules to vote for us again – it means the world to us.”
Research carried out by the Kennel Club found there was many benefits to businesses being dog friendly including an improvement to overall atmosphere of a place – 96 per cent of people surveyed noticed a better ambience when dogs were around, with a boost in staff productivity and morale.
Ninety percent of employers also observed a positive change in the working environment after allowing dogs, while four out of five companies cited a newly introduced dog friendly policy as a reason for improved business.
Kennel Club secretary Caroline Kisko said: “Huge congratulations to Austin and Co for being recognised as the best dog friendly shop in the UK once again.
“Dog owners and their pets are a key part of any community and they have clearly recognised this by going above and beyond for their dog-loving customers.
“We hope that other businesses will follow their example and benefit from the many rewards a dog-friendly attitude can bring.”
