The Best UK Cities to Open a Pet Business

1. Birmingham

Birmingham takes the top spot as the best city in the UK to open a pet business, thanks to its balance of high consumer demand and relatively low market competition. The city sees 12,210 monthly searches for pet-related services like 'dog groomer near me' and 'cat sitter near me', that’s 1,240 searches per 100,000 people.

Despite this demand, Birmingham has just 38 pet shops and 43 groomers, equating to only 3.9 and 4.0 per 100,000 people, respectively. With space in the market to grow, Birmingham offers a golden opportunity for aspiring pet business owners to make their mark.

2. Glasgow

In second place is Glasgow, which is home to a strong search interest of 6,780 monthly searches (1,146 per 100,000 people) for pet services in the city. With just 53 groomers in a city of this size (around 9 per 100,000 people), there’s still plenty of room for new grooming businesses to establish themselves and meet growing demand.

Similarly, the city has 24 pet shops (4.1 per 100,000 people), indicating that the retail side of the market also has space for new entrants. Glasgow’s engaged pet-loving community makes it a promising location for entrepreneurs in the pet care industry.

3. Bristol 

Rounding off the top three is Bristol, combining solid demand in pet services with manageable competition. The city sees 6,120 monthly searches for pet services, which is 991 per 100,000 people. There are 19 pet shops (3.1 per 100,000 people) and 36 groomers (6 per 100,000), offering a good balance of infrastructure without oversaturation. 

UK cities with the highest competition for pet businesses

Conversely, some UK cities already have a thriving pet business scene. In these areas, higher competition or slightly lower demand per capita means new ventures may need a more strategic approach to succeed. By comparing search interest and the number of existing pet businesses per 100,000 residents, we were able to identify where the market is more saturated relative to local population size.

 1. Manchester

Of the 30 cities analysed, Manchester appears to be one of the more competitive places to open a pet business, with a high number of existing providers. While consumer interest is strong, 6,980 monthly searches (1,765 per 100,000 people), the market is also well catered for. The city is home to 128 pet shops (32.4 per 100,000) and 243 groomers (61 per 100,000), which are the highest concentrations across all cities in our study. This imbalance between high supply and strong demand means competition might be intense, so new businesses may need a clear USP and a well-defined business plan to stand out and succeed.

2. Bradford

The Yorkshire city of Bradford shows moderate demand with 1,580 monthly searches (528 per 100,000), but this interest is overshadowed by a densely packed market. The city has 45 pet shops (15 per 100,000) and 95 groomers (32 per 100,000), indicating a saturated market, particularly for grooming services. The high provider density relative to demand suggests that new entrants, particularly in pet grooming, will face tough competition to stand out.

3. Swansea

Swansea illustrates a similar challenge: relatively low consumer demand combined with a notable existing supply. With only 1,190 monthly searches (396 per 100,000), interest in pet services is limited yet the city already supports 17 pet shops (5.7 per 100,000) and 42 groomers (14 per 100,000). This mismatch means consumer demand is stretched thin across too many businesses, making Swansea a tough market for new pet ventures.

The UK’s most dog-friendly cities

Man’s best friend lives in 36% of British households, according to research. Clearly, we’re a nation of dog lovers, but which areas are the best places for our four-legged friends to thrive?

1. Manchester

Manchester takes the crown as the best UK city for dog owners, not just because of its 34.7% green space, which provides plenty of room for tails to wag and legs to roam in parks like Heaton or Castlefield. The city also offers a robust range of pet-friendly services, including 128 pet shops (32.4 per 100,000 people) and 243 pet groomers (61.4 per 100,000 people), making grooming and supplies easily accessible across the city.

Adding to its appeal, at the time of our research, Manchester also offered 25 dog-friendly job listings within 10 miles, helping owners better balance work and pet parenting. Whether it’s weekend park adventures or weekday convenience, Manchester truly leads the pack for dog lovers.

2. London

London might be a bustling metropolis, but it still secures second place thanks to its sheer size and dog-friendly offerings. While it has less green space than Manchester (just 23.3%), it more than makes up for it with the highest number of dog-friendly venues in our study. In fact, 9.09% of all food and drink spots welcome four-legged companions, allowing dog owners to dine out without leaving their pets behind.

The British capital leads the way for working dog owners, with an impressive 283 dog-friendly job listings available at the time of our study. This makes London the perfect place for those balancing busy careers with their beloved pets, offering plenty of opportunities to bring your dog to the office.

3. Brighton and Hove

Brighton and Hove rounds out the top three, combining a relaxing seaside lifestyle with great pet-friendly infrastructure. The city is home to 27.3% green space, along with the highest proportion of dog-friendly cafés and restaurants in the UK; 10.14% of all venues welcome four-legged guests. 

Pet service accessibility is strong for its size, with 23 pet shops (16.5 per 100,000 people) and 21 groomers (15.1 per 100,000 people), both great ratios for a smaller city. Brighton offers a great mix of walkable spaces, social spots, and pet support for dog owners looking to settle by the sea. If you want to take your dog to the numerous beaches for a seaside swim, just be sure to check beforehand if the beach allows dogs, as from the 1st of May to the 30th of September, dogs are only permitted on certain beaches.

How to finance and launch your pet business

With more Brits turning their passion for pets into a business, knowing how to launch and sustain a pet-focused venture is more important than ever. Hugh Acland, Chief Commercial Officer at Capital on Tap, shares expert guidance on how to manage finances effectively, from optimising cash flow to making smart investments in growth.

Know your competition

Before diving into expenses, it’s crucial to understand the local market landscape. Research existing pet businesses in your area to identify gaps and avoid overspending on saturated services. By knowing where demand is high and competition is low, you can better allocate your budget, whether by investing more in marketing to stand out or focusing on unique services that set you apart. This insight can save money and increase your chances of success from day one.

Master cash flow early

Initial costs, such as inventory or grooming tools, can add up fast. That’s why having a solid business plan before you start is essential; it helps you estimate how much you’ll need to spend and when. Without a clear view of your cash flow, even a busy pet business can run into trouble. Use simple forecasting tools to track what’s coming in and going out weekly. This will help you avoid shortfalls and plan for seasonal shifts, such as summer grooming spikes or Christmas pet booms.

Use business credit to invest in growth

A business credit card can be a valuable tool for both covering early expenses and investing in marketing, equipment, or events that drive revenue. Whether you are buying bulk ingredients for a new pet food line or hosting a stall at a festival like Dogfest, access to credit gives you room to grow without dipping into personal savings.

Maximise rewards to reinvest

Every pound your business spends is an opportunity to earn. Using a small business credit card with rewards lets you get cashback or points on everything, from grooming tools to trade show travel. This is capital that can be reinvested into marketing, business training, or expanding your product range. Capital on Tap customers earn 1% cashback on all card purchases, putting everyday expenses to work for your small business.

Build a financial buffer for unpredictable costs

Even the best-run businesses can face sudden costs. Anything from equipment repairs to supply chain delays can impact your profits, so a financial safety net gives you the freedom to tackle these issues head-on. If you’re just starting out, consider applying for a business credit card early to ensure you’re covered when it matters most.

Sources and methodology

To determine the best locations for opening up a pet business based on supply and demand, we ranked 30 UK cities using the following metrics:

• Google search volume for pet-related service keywords (via Google Keyword Planner), measured per 100,000 people.

• Number of pet shops (sourced from Google Business listings via API scraping), calculated per 100,000 people.

• Number of dog groomers (sourced from Google Business listings via API scraping), calculated per 100,000 people.

To identify the most dog-friendly cities, we ranked the same 30 cities by:

• % of green space (from ISGlobal Ranking)

• % of venues that are dog-friendly (using TripAdvisor data). For each city, we searched for “restaurants” and “cafés” in map view, recorded the total number of listings, and carefully removed outliers, such as venues outside the city centre or duplicate entries. We then repeated this process using the “dog-friendly” filter.

• Number of pet shops per 100,000 people (Google Business listings via API).

• Number of dog groomers per 100,000 people (Google Business listings via API).

• Number of job listings containing the phrase “dog-friendly” (sourced from Glassdoor).

Pet shop and dog groomer data collection methodology:

For each city, we programmatically queried for "pet store" and “pet groomer” in Google Business listings, restricting the search to a radius around the city centre as recommended by Perplexity.ai. Automated radius settings ensured that only businesses within relevant city boundaries were included in our analysis.