Jan '70
Thu 1st
House-proud and busy parents could be to blame for dwindling numbers at Surbiton Pet Club.
The club, which in 1970 had more than 1,000 members, today has only 60 members and is appealing for new blood to stop it from closing. Lack of time and an increase in family holidays puts many off owning a pet.
The next show will take place at:
Surbiton Pet Club House,
Stirling Walk
50p per entry. I
£3 per family per year to join.
Comments
Hello - today I am taking my children off to get a couple of female guinea pigs from a local farm. Their first pets and I had a nostalgic moment. I remembered Surbiton Pet Club and Googled it. I told them how, when I was about 10 or 12 years old (I'm now 47) I worked there, for no recompense, behind the counter heaving bales of straw over it, measuring out feed for all sorts of animals, the advice, health care and pet shows and how my Ponchinello once won a rosette. I now live in East Sussex and wonder if much has changed at the Club. I remember a hut by the Hogsmill and screaming at my Dad in the car to go a nigh on (now that I drive, I know this) impossible 5mph down the drive for fear of being expelled from the Club let alone losing my job.
I do hope your PR machine has gone into overdrive and that the Club is no longer threatened with closure, as I read on your website. If, with some experience in PR and journalism I can be of any help on this matter - for the lovely memories that I have of times at the Club, I am happy to offer my services regardless of distance.
Good luck and best wishes. Jenny x
i was just browsing through the surbiton pet club web site, and read your letter, not sure if anyone has replied to you, its still running and yesterday we had a show, quite a few new members, as we have been going to school summer fates, handing out leaflets and showing pets, trying to recruit more people, i think back in the 70's they say there were over 1000 members today we are pushing 60 !!, there still is the stores which are open and weekends and yep everything still gets weighed out, next show 11th october... maybe you should come for a visit