Oxford Small Pet Boarding was funded by Megan Timms in 2020, after spotting a gap in the market for specialist boarding facilities dedicated to small pets.

Over the past six years, she’s built a successful business caring for beloved pets like rabbits and guinea pigs, mice, rats, birds, ferrets and tortoises.

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Oxford Small Pet Boarding, a business based on the outskirts of the city, is up for sale (Image: Oxford Small Pet Boarding)

Now, however, Ms Timms is offering the established business up for sale to a new owner, and has put up a listing seeking another ‘passionate animal lover’ to take on the owner-operated, home boarding business.

“The decision to sell has not been an easy one and is not due to a lack of demand,” the founder explained.

“The business is currently based at a premises that can no longer accommodate the boarding facility because of changes to the landowner’s own business requirements.

“Rather than close the business altogether, I would love to see someone else take over and continue what has been built over the past six years.”

She was inspired to create the pet boarding business after working as a pet sitter, travelling between client’s homes to spend limited time caring for and interacting with their pets.

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The owner said she would love to see another animal lover take on the business (Image: Oxford Small Pet Boarding)

However, she felt small animals deserved ‘far more than basic care’, and created the full-time pet boarding set up so she could provide round the clock attention to the animals.

Included in the sale is the established branding, business name, website and social media accounts, the existing customer database, operating procedures and systems, and all the equipment needed to host small pets at a new site including purpose-built cages, outdoor runs and boarding equipment.

Ms Timms added: “The sale presents an exciting opportunity for someone who loves animals and is looking to run their own business.

“The business would suit anyone with a genuine love of animals, whether they’re looking for a career change, a family-run business or an opportunity to expand an existing pet-related enterprise.

“With pet ownership continuing to grow and more people travelling, demand for trusted boarding services remains strong.

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The boarding business cares for all kinds of small pets, from guinea pigs and rabbits to mice, rats, birds and tortoises (Image: Oxford Small Pet Boarding)

“I’d be delighted to see Oxford Small Pet Boarding continue under new ownership and provide the same high standard of care that customers and their pets have come to expect.”

She added that the business is not tied to any particular location, currently based in an Oxford suburb and operated from a nine-by-five metre indoor building with direct access to secure outdoor exercise runs.

The guide price for the business is £29,950 and interest can be registered through agent Goodwins Business Brokers.

Tackle Club in Kidlington (OX5 1JD) is having its opening party tomorrow (Saturday, August 8) between 10am to 5pm.

The event will include a barbeque, some free beer and live music, with the owners hoping anglers and others from the around the county attend.

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Born out of their shared love of fishing, the owners of Tackle Club hope that the shop will inspire a love for the sport in younger generations.

Sam Harris, 37, said: “We are all trying to get more youngsters involved and get them off their TVs and catching some fish.”

Stocking all fishing equipment – apart from for sea fishing – the shop will be open from 8.30am to 6pm from Monday to Friday, and 10am until 5pm on weekends.

Betfred has confirmed plans to shut 132 betting shops from September, blaming higher taxes and wider economic uncertainty for the move.

The Warrington‑based bookmaker said the closures would affect just over a tenth of its UK estate and leave it with around 1,100 branches nationwide.

Betfred, founded by brothers Fred and Peter Done in 1967, has grown into one of the country’s biggest betting shop operators, with the pair’s combined wealth recently estimated at £3.61 billion.

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Chief executive Jo Whittaker said the company had “worked hard” to protect high street outlets and jobs, but rising employer National Insurance contributions, wage pressures and increased gambling duties had made that more difficult.

“We have tried hard to protect all our sites and the colleagues who work in them, but the combined impact of higher employer national insurance contributions, wage inflation, increases in gambling taxes and wider economic uncertainty has left us with no choice,” she said.

“These are well-run shops, staffed by dedicated colleagues, and it is incredibly hard to see any of them close, but the current fiscal and regulatory environment has made it impossible to keep trading all our shops.

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“Our priority now is to support the colleagues affected, and to continue serving customers and communities across the rest of our estate.”

Betfred has not published a full list of locations earmarked for closure, and it is not yet clear whether any Oxfordshire branches will be affected.

The company currently operates several betting shops in and around Oxford, including sites on Cornmarket Street, Cowley Road, Barns Road, in Templars Square and in Headington, as well as other outlets elsewhere in the county.

This newspaper enquired directly with Betfred as to whether any stores in Oxfordshire would be closing as part of the plans and, if so, which ones.

A spokesperson for Betfred responded: “We cannot comment on individual shops as there is a consultation process underway for the staff concerned.”