Highfield Kennels in Pinchbeck: Owner Marlene Aspden explains how they are rebuilding the business after lockdown
A family-run dog kennel business, hit by the impact of the coronavirus, has begun its steps towards getting back to normal.
Marlene Aspden has run Highfield Kennels in Pinchbeck with her husband Mark and daughter Kelly Newell for 30 years and says people are slowly starting to return to making bookings.
But the kennels is still a lot quieter than it would normally be during the peak of summer when many people would be going on holiday.
And as she has been struggling to keep the business going during the pandemic, Marlene sadly lost her 93-year-old mum, Lilian Westland, last month to the virus.
She said: "We have started taking in overnight residents and there is a lot in place. People now have to email over a copy of their dog's vaccinations and they do not leave any leads, as before.
"They put their dog in the free run and we cannot have people in the kennels.
"We are honouring people's bookings, so if they have booked their dog in and their holiday has been cancelled they can move their booking. We are doing the right thing.
"People can go on holiday again but it is still a bit iffy. Some people are still going on holiday but a lot of people are still not going abroad."
"Kelly, Mark and (staff member) Tom are on furlough. It has been a real, real struggle. There are certain things I have not been entitled to being self-employed. Some people are still working as normal and they get quite a heavy grant but we have had no dogs in.
"You apply for everything and are then told you are not entitled; but at the end of the day we still have the bills, the website and the insurance. I have even applied for Universal Credit but have not been entitled to it. You just have to cope.
"The crux is going to be when the furlough stops in October."