Charlie and Briony here from Kent Dog Walker, not often do we ask for help, but we are desperately asking for help after the last few weeks we have had!
As a lot of you will have read our recent news about having to leave our lovely HQ and closing daycare and the hotel, due to increased costs and no support with the business rates despite paying for agency to help with an appeal to TMBC and HMRC, as well as the increased PAYE & NIC costs, and finding out about the true state of the balance sheet upon the finance director resigning, like everything, it never rains but it pours...
Next...
The "lease/agreement" for the off lead field was in our recently resigned business partner's name and it was promised it would be sorted before they left, but unfortunately wasn't and the landlord is being totally unreasonable and has seized the field from us due to an apparent "breach" due to no subletting - however the landlord has known throughout the duration that we have merged and it has been run as 'Kent Dog Walker' - we were notified of this as approximately 12 noon on Thursday 6th February and give 4 hrs notice to leave the field and told that we weren't allowed to take any of our belongings. We have paid the rent up to the 28th February 2025 and never missed a rent payment. We were also not permitted to see the "agreement" as we were not the tenants. They demanded £2000 to be paid by 4pm that same day to give us 28 days notice and that we could put a proposal to them within 14 days if we wanted them to consider us for continuing at the field.
Briony and I have decided in the few interactions that we have had - one where I was subjected to masodinistic, vile threats of what he was going to do to me and enjoy it and take the entire company down, plus legal threats to us personally for taking our belongings from the site, the Gowers and their "representation" are people that we no longer want to be associated with and have as any part of our business.
Thankfully, due to connecting with like minded people in the area, I have built a nice working relationship with Jack at "The Ryarsh Paw Ground' who has kindly offered us an alternative option, 5 minutes from the existing field, that is more remote and less likely to cause anyone offence.
However, this field is a total blank canvas so we are basically having to start from absolute scratch, so we are appealing to all our lovely loyal customers and friends for as much help as you can give us in any capacity that you can in getting the new field setup.
We are appealing for
1) Financial donations to pay for the fencing of the new site and the planning permissions for change of use.
2) Man power and expertise in putting up stock fencing and preparing the ground.
3) In due course - supporting letters for the planning permission at the new site.
Briony, I and the team have been absolutely devastated by these two immense shifts in the business in such a short space of time, but one thing that hasn't changed throughout and that NO ONE CAN TAKE AWAY FROM US is our love and passion for the dogs and our customers, and our determination to continue through this extremely difficult phase and come out the other side stronger and better.
We have been pierced through the heart and left to bleed, but we can promise you, it most definitely isn't over - no matter how tired we feel and how many people try and take us down, we will still keep doing what we love for the dogs.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT, we are immensely grateful.
Charlie, Briony & Everyone at #TeamPink