Helsbury Park in Camelford has won the ‘Somewhere to Holiday’ category in the annual awards, after its customers nominated it on account of its dog friendly credentials. The self catering holiday accommodation was highlighted by visitors for providing throws and sofa covers for the dogs as well as dog waste bags and portable drinks carriers. It was described as ‘a real haven for owners and dogs alike’ and has 100 acres of open land to walk dogs off lead. Welcome packs come as standard for all that stay at the site, with a list of other dog friendly places and doggy treats.

And Helsbury Park is not the only place that is recognising the importance of reaching out to the nation’s 8 million dog owners. According to research newly released by the Kennel Club, a staggering four out of five businesses claim that their dog friendly policy has helped them to draw in more customers in difficult financial times.

The Kennel Club has also found that 95 percent of people think more businesses and locations should be Open for Dogs, and that dogs improve the atmosphere of a place², and 77 percent think that dogs help to reduce stress.

Caroline Kisko, spokesperson for the Kennel Club, said: “Since launching this competition we have been really impressed by the wide range of services and facilities that are being provided to make dogs and their owners feel welcome. Places like the Helsbury Park are really setting the standard for others to follow.

“These are tough times for businesses but more and more people are seeing the benefits of reaching out to dog owners, who are always looking for somewhere that they can go with their dogs. It makes no sense to exclude customers who are happy to give you their business – especially when dogs actually enhance the appeal of a place, amongst dog owners and non dog owners alike.”

Dave Wilson from Helsbury Park said: “We’ve put dog friendliness at the heart of our business for a number of reasons. Dog owners provide a massive customer base, high quality accommodation that’s dog friendly is hard to come by and we’re based in a stunning location with walks on site as well as dog friendly beaches nearby. Dog owners are also pretty resilient when it comes to the weather, as long as they have luxury to come home to in the evening! Winning the Open for Dogs award is a real feather in our cap and we’re proud to welcome dogs and their owners to our beautiful site here in Cornwall.”

The Open for Dogs Competition is in its second year and customers were invited to nominate places that they thought were pulling out the stops to accommodate our doggie friends with innovative services or simply a bowl of clean water and the promise of a friendly smile. The categories were: Somewhere to SLEEP; Somewhere to DRINK; Somewhere to EAT; Somewhere to VISIT; Somewhere you WORK; Somewhere you HOLIDAY and OTHER.