Dogs now allowed at Southampton's Westquay centre
You'll now be able to shop with your four-legged friend
Southampton's Westquay centre is going dog-friendly - allowing owners to take their four-legged friends shopping with them.
The centre's bosses have announced that 'well-trained' domestic canines will be able to visit, along with assistance dogs, which were already welcome.
A range of well-known household brands will also allow well-behaved dogs in-store and all those participating will display a dog-friendly sticker on their window, while services such as water bowls are available.
It follows a successful month-long trial earlier this year.
To ensure all customers have an enjoyable experience alongside the safety and security of visitors and colleagues, a number of dog-friendly guidelines have been introduced:
• Dogs must be kept on a non-extendable static lead at all times
• Dogs must not be left unattended
• Dogs are not permitted on escalators
• If an accident happens, owners must clean up after their dog
Since the start of the pandemic, 3.2 million UK households have acquired a new pet, with 34 million pets now in homes across Britain, including 12 million dogs.
Many of these dogs have grown accustomed to having company during the day as lifestyle changes meant millions of us worked from home.
Laura Read, General Manager at Westquay said:
"Over the past year there has been a surge in pet ownership and we wanted to make the lives of owners a bit easier, particularly those worried about leaving their new dog at home alone.
"Many of our brands are already dog friendly so we hope that like our customers our four-legged companions can also enjoy a great day out.
"There are some guidelines in place to ensure this and we do ask owners to take responsibility for their dogs and ensure Westquay continues to be a great destination for others."