A KEIGHLEY retailer is celebrating as the company reports “significant” growth.

Pet-store giant Jollyes – whose town outlet is at Keighley Retail Park, in Hard Ings Road – saw a 21 per cent surge in sales during the last quarter, compared to the same period two years ago.

The rise has been attributed largely to an increase in the number of people buying pets during the pandemic.

Jollyes is now looking to accelerate plans to open 20 new stores in the next 18 months, creating more than 150 jobs.

And it is planning new investment in areas including product ranges and marketing.

All its regions across the UK have experienced double-digit growth.

During the 12 months to May alone, year-on-year revenue rose by 13 per cent to £77 million.

As it prepares for further expansion, the company has bolstered its leadership team – with the appointment of retail operations director Lucie Coleman and commercial director Chris Burns.

Richard Cotter, executive chairman of Jollyes, said he was delighted at the progress.

He added: “Whilst remaining open throughout the pandemic to serve pet lovers has not been easy because of the added cost and complexity, our people have more than risen to the challenge. We’ve enjoyed a very successful year with sensational progress.

“And we’re excited about our future. We’ve worked hard to build a strong platform that will allow us to do much more – new and better stores, wider ranges and further investment in our people as we bring their passion for pets to more communities across the UK.

“In the year ahead we expect to open new stores through both the targeted strategic acquisition of smaller pet retailers and taking on new leases in carefully-thought-through locations throughout the country.”

According to the Pet Food Manufacturers Association, 3.2 million households have acquired a pet since the start of the pandemic – with cat and dog ownership alone reaching 12 million of each.

Jollyes saw increased sales of pets, food and accessories, including sales of popular birds such as canaries which rose by 50 per cent and sales of reptiles such as geckos that were up by 14 per cent. There was also a ten per cent rise in the sale of wild bird seed as more people fed their garden birds.