Pet rescue: housing group helps new business

Published by Richard Lord for Wakefield & District Housing in Housing and also in Bill Payments, Communities, Local Government

A West Yorkshire housing association has played a major role in helping a Wakefield woman set up her dream business.

Amanda Abrams, owner of dog grooming parlour ‘Hair off the Dog’ on Hoyland Road in Kettlethorpe, said Wakefield and District Housing (WDH) were instrumental in getting her business off the ground after she secured a lease on a commercial property that was more affordable than renting privately.

WDH, who are the largest social housing providers in the Wakefield district with 31,000 homes, currently rent out 109 commercial properties to support local businesses and the local economy.

Mrs Abrams, who worked for a similar company for 12 years, was determined to start up her own dog grooming business but felt the cost of finding a suitable property in the private sector almost prevented her from getting started.

She said: “I’d never opened my own business before so it was a new venture for me. I was really determined to set the business up but when I was looking at private rental properties they were really expensive.

“I got a good deal with WDH. The rent was crucial to the business starting – it definitely helps the bottom line. Once I settled on the premises, WDH helped me with everything. They made the whole ‘starting a business’ ordeal a lot smoother than it could have been.”

Hair off the Dog opened in September 2011 and, according to Mrs Abrams, she feels she has found a niche in the market and business is booming.

“It helps that we are just down the road from the big supermarket at Sandal, so people are dropping their dogs off and doing their shopping while I pamper their pets.

“My customers have been fantastic. We’ve got regulars now and we’re always busy when we’re open. One lady even called us ‘Harrods for dogs’ because we treat them so well. It’s been brilliant so far.”

WDH Asset Management Officer David Bancroft, who helped Mrs Abrams set up Hair off the Dog, said: “We make sure that our rents are affordable in order to encourage new businesses to start up and to support those that are already established.

“We understand that there isn’t a lot of money about at the moment. People are making cuts and having to budget a lot more strictly, but we want to prove that in these difficult financial times it’s still possible to start your own business.”

If you would like to enquire about a business property with WDH, call their Property and Assets team on 01977 724425.