00:00So we're here in Bridge North at Pamper Pooch. Hello Charlie.
00:03Hello.
00:04This is your project then? This is your baby?
00:06Yeah, it certainly is. Something I decided to do as I'm getting old in life and settle down a bit more in one spot.
00:15So you're a Bridge North man then now?
00:17Yeah, I live in the high street, other end of the high street, under the north gate.
00:22Well, I thought your chalkboards at the end of the street, advertising the shop, looked particularly good.
00:27But in another life you were known as Charlie Chalk.
00:29Charlie Chalk, yeah. A chalkboard artist from many, many years ago.
00:34So people would have seen your work, basically any pub in Wolverhampton probably at a certain point had had your artwork on it.
00:40Back in the heyday, yeah. Still one or two now, but not so many these days.
00:44Yeah. So how come the leap to Pamper Pooch then? What was all that about?
00:49Yeah, I was just looking for something as I was getting older in life.
00:52Something a bit more settled in one area rather than over-travelling and Bridge North had always been a favourite place to visit.
01:02And it's an idea I'd have for many years. A lot of people bring their dogs to Bridge North.
01:06It's a very dog-orientated and friendly town.
01:10And how long have you been here now then, Charles?
01:12Opened in April 2019, so just six years now.
01:16So you opened kind of just around that Covid period?
01:19Just pre-Covid, a few months before we'd all kicked in, yeah.
01:22Who'd have known at the time, eh?
01:24Yeah, absolutely.
01:25But it's a lovely premises we've got here. It would have been just a house back in the day, we think, yeah?
01:30It was a house back in the day, yeah. I haven't got the full history, but yeah.
01:33Parts of the building still do have a little bit of the castle wall attached to it.
01:37No way. You've got the Colbertdale range there behind you.
01:40Yeah, that's all original.
01:41So, what do you, if someone's not been into your shop, describe your shop.
01:46What do you do? What are you all about?
01:47I'm as independent as it gets. I work solely, but my aim is just to provide a little bit of everything.
01:53But purely for dogs, I did consider the pet side of it.
01:57But rather than trying to do everything badly, I try to concentrate on one area, just the canine side of things.
02:03Yeah. So basically anything dog-related you might need in your life or for the home, you've got it or can get it?
02:09No, absolutely. And all the stock I bring in is mine. I sort of pay for everything up front.
02:16Yeah, yeah.
02:17Nothing's on tick, so to speak.
02:19Yeah, yeah. So what's kind of popular in the world of dogs at the minute?
02:23I keep seeing a lot of dogs in little outfits now and little jackets and stuff. Is that an increasing thing?
02:30It tends to be more of a seasonal thing with winter for coats and jumpers. Some people will do that.
02:36But I'll specialise in certain harnesses, due to this canine harnesses, which are used by the police and the armed forces for their working dogs.
02:45But I'm the only person who stocks those in the region now.
02:49Oh, right, okay. Interesting.
02:50Yeah, yeah. Well, I mean, as a non-dog owner, even I recognise that name and logo, so that's, you know, speech volumes.
02:59So there's not many people that stock them then, so, okay.
03:02No, no, no, no.
03:02Yeah, well, that'll certainly get them in.
03:04And you've even got the odd ice cream for humans, as well as dogs.
03:09Yeah, they can sit down together and both have a treat.
03:12And what sort of treats are kind of people liking at the minute? Is there anything particular that's like a, does it come and go in trends or as it were?
03:20Specifically, we look at more natural treats, especially away from certain things like rawhide, but now I have a lot of natural treats.
03:31I tend to have everything in bags rather than individually. It keeps them fresher.
03:35Yeah.
03:36And non-smelling in the shop as well, to be honest.
03:40Yeah, that's good for her, especially for you working.
03:43Yeah, no, absolutely.
03:45So you must, when you're walking about town on your day off, you must recognise half the dogs in town, I guess.
03:51Yeah, there's plenty. They do stop at the door with their owners and they won't walk past until they've been coming.
03:56Yeah, yeah.
03:57No, absolutely.
03:58That's good. So you're not going anywhere? Business is kind of, you're ticking by, you're doing okay?
04:03Yeah, it's been six years.
04:04And Bridgnell's serving you well?
04:05Six years now.
04:06Bridgnell, we've probably not got the same footfall that we used to have, but it's all very seasonal.
04:13I can tend to be busier in the winter because of the coats, jumper sales, things like that.
04:18And yes, we do sell Christmas jumpers.
04:20Cool.
04:21So as a trader, if I had a magic wand, is there anything you would like to kind of see in Bridgnell for anything changed that might help you as a trader?
04:31Oh, that's a big question, isn't it?
04:34Yeah, it is.
04:36Anything come to mind?
04:36Obviously, we look at sort of better facilities with street cleaning and signage and lighting, standard things now.
04:45I suppose all councils throughout the country have had their budgets cut and we've all got a big wish list.
04:51But getting them sort of into fruition, there are bigger things in the town such as the retaining wall.
04:56With the castle walk that's continually under repair and takes up a lot of the money that is physically available for the town itself.
05:04And we're in Bank Street, just at the end of Bank Street, we've got the old market hall.
05:08It'd be great to see that come back to life, wouldn't it?
05:11That would be fantastic.
05:11And once again, there's been a big campaign by local councillor, Hugh Rees.
05:16Yeah, thank you.
05:17For the reinstatement, well, the refurbishment of that.
05:22Yeah.
05:22But all about money again, I think, is the big issue.
05:25Yeah.
05:26So you've heard it here first, guys.
05:27Get yourself down Bank Street, just at the bottom of the High Street, round the Benj.
05:32Just almost opposite Costa Coffee, isn't it?
05:35It is indeed, yeah.
05:35And all things dog.
05:37And even get yourself a little ice cream on a nice hot summer's day.
