How the decline of the holiday industry has impacted a kennel in Eye

Closed borders during the coronavirus crisis have posed an existential threat to many businesses within the holiday industry.

However, it is not just hotel chains and airlines that have been forced to grapple with the consequences of a holiday-free summer.

For Tracey Bartlett, who runs Quiet Acres Boarding Kennels and Cattery in Braiseworth, near Eye, fewer people jetting off to warmer climes has meant fewer pets needing to be looked after.

Normally used to having around 50 cats and dogs at a time, since the virus struck, the kennel and cattery in Clay Lane has been eerily absent of the barking and meowing one would normally expect.

“Our main business is looking after people’s pets when they’re on holiday, so, if people can’t go on holiday, we don’t have any business,” said 45-year-old Miss Bartlett.

Despite the recent blip in fortunes, the history of Quiet Acres has been a largely successful one.

After years of working in a call centre, Miss Bartlett moved to Suffolk from her native Manchester, along with her partner Phil Edwards, 44, and parents Paula and Dom Bartlett, both in their 70s, after seeing that the kennel was up for sale.

“We wanted to do something different,” she said. “When we took the business over, you could tell that it was once a thriving business.

“We slowly got that back again. From there, it went from strength to strength.

“Is was lovely having come from Manchester – where it’s all hustle and bustle, and we came with that same enthusiasm.”

As a dual kennel and cattery, dogs are treated to large wooded areas to roam in, while the cats, understandably kept at arms length from the kennels, lounge around in a small wildlife area with a variety of climbing equipment and cat beds – all of which Miss Bartlett is confident will soon be back to full capacity once the worst of lockdown is behind us.

“We know business will come back, because people are always going to want to go on holiday, and are always going to need to their pets taken care of,” she said.

To find out more about Quiet Acres, click here.