News Release

Wednesday 24 August 2022

Jollyes, the Pet People, prepares to open two more stores in Scotland

New openings create new jobs as part of £950,000 Scottish investment this year.
Recruitment underway for Glenrothes and Edinburgh Hermiston Gait stores

Jollyes, the nationwide pet retailer, today announced details of two new store openings in Scotland as part of a £950,000 investment this year taking it to five Scottish stores.

The latest Jollyes stores will open at Glenrothes, Fife, on Saturday 24 September and Edinburgh in the Autumn.

The two new stores follow the opening of Jollyes in Stirling in June and build on the popularity with local pet lovers of the long-standing stores at Clydebank and Perth.

Together, the three new openings take Jollyes’ total investment in Scotland this year to almost £1m, creating 34 new jobs and taking the total number of colleagues in Scotland to 55.

The 5,000 square feet Glenrothes store at Saltire Retail Park will employ 10 colleagues. Jollyes today announced that the team would be led by store manager Garry Bingham, 35, an experienced retailer who grew up in the town.

Garry is doting ‘dog parent’ to the newest addition to his family, Lilly, a 10-week golden Labrador.

At 7,500 square feet, the Edinburgh store, at Hermiston Gait Retail Park, will have 15 colleagues and will also feature Jollyes’ high quality dog grooming salon, The Spa. The store manager at Hermiston Gait will be Angela Rennie who is moving from Stirling where she led the team behind this year’s successful opening. Angela is pet parent to dogs Blue and Mollie.

Both new stores will sell small animals, as well as a wide range of pet foods and accessories. As part of its opening plans, Jollyes has begun recruiting for colleagues at the new stores. Applications from those who want a dream job working with animals can be made at https://www.jollyes.co.uk/i/jobs-jollyes.

Kerry Midgley, Jollyes regional manager, said: “Scots love their pets and where we have a store, Jollyes has become the go-to destination for pet owners. We’re continuing to look at other locations and strongly believe Scotland will be an important area of growth for Jollyes in the future.”

“The investment we’re making at Glenrothes and Edinburgh builds on the success of our existing stores and with five stores across Scotland we are now starting to create a significant footprint and becoming a name that will become increasingly familiar.”

Demand at Jollyes has never been higher, helped by a surge in pet ownership during the pandemic and increasing recognition of the health and well-being benefits that pets bring. There are now 35 million pets in the UK and ownership this year reached a new high of 17.4 million homes, or 62 per cent of UK households, according to the Pet Food Manufacturers Association. 

In July, Jollyes reported that annual turnover to the end of May had increased by 15 per cent to £86 million, putting it on track to reach £100 million in 2023.

Backed by Kester Capital, Jollyes has more than 80 stores across the UK. In July, it acquired Penparc Pet Centres with five stores in the Midlands, which together with new openings in Cookstown, Wrexham, Stirling, Southport, Stockton-on-Tees and Poole has accelerated the pace of expansion.

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About Jollyes

From modest beginnings in Enfield as a single store in 1971, Jollyes has now grown into one of the leading pet food superstores with almost 70 locations across the UK alongside a market-leading position in Northern Ireland.

From Perth to Plymouth, Newry to Norwich, at Jollyes customers can find anything for their pet, from pet food, pet toys and an array of pet accessories.

Customers are actively encouraged to bring their pets into store, while customers shop because Jollyes people are passionate about pets.

Potty about puppies and crazy for cats, no matter what the animal, store colleagues are always on hand to help with anything from product advice, to picking the perfect pet and accessories.

Many stores also run community clinics offering vaccinations and other advice from trained vets. And if one of Jollyes stores isn’t close by, there’s helpful advice on Jollyes website where you can ask the expert.

Jollyes was recently named Pet Retail Chain of the Year at the Pet Industry Federation Awards.