Pets at Home has opened a brand new, pet-friendly head office called Chester House, named after the first Pets at Home store that opened in 1991.

The new building is a result of a £2 million investment, that will help drive improved ways of working, using the latest in technology and communications to provide a work space that encourages collaboration and team work.

The new office can accommodate up to 300 colleagues and includes 17 meeting rooms all with their own unique design that reflects the history and achievements of the business. The building also includes three kitchens, a library and a creative lab.

Outside, Pets at Home has invested in a Pet Park, a fully enclosed, safe area designed with the welfare of colleagues’ pets in mind and as such is split into different zones and textures for inquisitive paws. It includes toys, ramps, tunnels, water stations and a shower for muddy paws (and boots).

An internal competition to name the new building was won by colleagues Sue Richardson, central data manager and one of the retailer’s longest serving colleagues, and Leanne Friar, development small projects manager, who chose the name Chester House, in recognition of the first Pets at Home store that opened in 1991 in Chester.

Founder of Pets at Home, Anthony Preston, and his wife, Margaret, were invited to the opening of the new headquarters by Group CEO, Peter Pritchard.

Mr Pritchard said:“From the Pet Park to the meeting rooms and kitchen spaces, our new state of the art home and workplace has been built with our colleagues and their pets in mind.

“We’re delighted that Anthony Preston and his wife Margaret were able to join us for the opening of Chester House. The business has come a long way since our first store opened in Chester and it seems fitting that our new building is named after it.”

In addition, Pets at Home also announced new names for the two other support office buildings, Gateshead House and Rotherham House, named after the second and third Pets at Home stores to open.