A family-run specialist aquatics and exotics pet shop in Stafford town centre is facing the prospect of closure due to Stafford Borough Council delays, say the owners of the successful business.

Five jobs and six current work placements jobs are at risk at Stafford Aquatics in Gaolgate Street due to problems in the processing of vital documents by the council’s licensing team.

Shop owner Miles Evans explained: “We originally posted our pet shop licence renewal forms in June, but they weren’t received, so when they notified us of this in September, we asked for a four week extension. We then hand delivered the required paperwork to the civic centre, but due to a confusion with the extension start date, our application was actually a day late and they said our current licence which we had held for six years had expired.”

“Now the council is insisting that we start a new application process from scratch and the licence won’t be issued until mid-January, which means that we can’t sell livestock for three months and we simply won’t survive that.”

The team of five dedicated staff, most of whom have been with the business since it opened in 2018, have specialist knowledge to work with the flora and fauna of the aquatics, reptile and other animals and stock sold in the shop which is the only such supplier of reptiles and birds in a 10 mile radius of the town.

With up to 62% of people owning pets and pet fish ownership jumping during the pandemic years, the shop serves an estimated base of up to 20,000 customers in the local area. As fish, reptiles, birds and invertebrates provide ideal low-cost companions and are ideal for people with busy lifestyles, the business has a potentially bright future, and its loss would be another blow for the town centre as well as its employees.

The business also offers up to 15 work placements a year with Stafford College. Charley Emery-Pearson, store manager and mum of three, adds: “The last six years have been so challenging, with the covid lockdowns, then energy bills quadrupling two years ago and then the roadworks on Chell Road at the north end of the town reduced footfall significantly for the last 12 months. But we’ve battled on, with the support of loyal customers and dedicated staff. But this is our biggest threat yet and I’m fearful that we won’t survive it.”

Now the pet shop is calling on loyal customers to help in its battle for survival by forcing the council into a rethink on the timing of the licence.

Miles adds: “Although we are in regular communication with the council to try to bring the date forward, we haven’t had much luck. We’ve now set up an online petition and are arranging a peaceful protest outside the council buildings on the 11th November at 1pm. If we can get people to support this, I hope we may have some chance of survival. Meanwhile, we are still open for business on our dry goods, and we urge customers to support us during this difficult period.”