Jollyes opened its first York store on Friday, September 20, and was greeted by hundreds of customers and their pets, including a therapy bunny.

The store, at Monks Cross Shopping Park, Monks Cross Drive, Huntington, York, YO32 9GX was officially opened by three special guests.

Performing the red ribbon cutting was Rt Hon Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Margaret Wells.

Alongside The Lord Mayor was detector dog Pablo, and his handler Beverley Boynton, who bit through a string of sausages to declare the store open.

Pablo, aged 7, served in the border force on the Yorkshire coast for a number of years but ruptured a disc in his back requiring surgery while running, leading to his early retirement last Christmas.

The store has created 12 new jobs for the area and the retailer said the York store is a great example of the career development opportunities for staff as the pet superstore continues to open new stores at pace.

Joining the York team are Aquilla Fisher who’s been promoted from supervisor to deputy Manager, after working for Jollyes for four years, and Tom Hurley will transfer from the Doncaster store after eight years with the business.

Jollyes new store will provide owners in York access to Jollyes’ raw food frozen ‘shop-in-shop’.

Deputy manager Aquilla Fisher said: “We’re delighted to have brought Jollyes to York. The team here at the store can’t wait to bring their pet expertise to the city alongside the kind of value that’s been making a real difference to pet parents right across the UK.”