Royal treat for Houghton Regis's pampered pooches

A dog groomer who offers ‘royal' treatments to much-loved pooches in Houghton Regis, Dunstable and the surrounding area, is the second business owner to lease premises in the soon-to-be-opened Farmstead at new village Linmere.

Sarah King, who has been pampering pets for the past three years from a purpose-built cabin in her garden in Houghton Regis, says the move for her company, Royal's Dog Grooming, to the community hub this month will enable her to expand her services to the area's new canine residents.

Sarah, who is offering a 20 per cent discount to new customers, said: "I love treating the dogs in my care like royalty and their owners tell me their pets enjoy the experience too. My business has grown over the years and I currently have around 200 canine clients.

"With my move to the Farmstead I'll be able to cater for even more. Plus, there'll be a café next door so the owners can enjoy a coffee or snack while they wait and the playground will offer somewhere safe for the children to play. A trip to the dog groomer will probably become something of a social event and I'm so looking forward to moving in and looking after the many dogs who are going to make Linmere their home."

Linmere development director Nigel Reid said: "The focus of the Farmstead, and of Linmere as a whole, is very much on enjoying the great outdoors. With cycle tracks and footpaths across the village, there will be plenty of opportunity for people to get out and about on foot, on two wheels and with their four-legged friends. No resident will be further than a five-minute walk from green space so it is ideal for those looking for a healthy lifestyle - and that includes dog owners!"

In total around 5,150 homes will be built over the next 15 years by the Linmere consortium which comprises master planners Lands Improvement, Aviva Investors, and the Diocese of St Albans.

The development will also see the creation of two new primary schools and an extension to Houghton Regis' existing Thornhill Primary school. A ten-form secondary school will open in 2022/3.