A BELATED Christmas night out has turned into awards success for a business formed just 18 months ago.

Staff at Star Pups Doggy Day Care were celebrating at the Local Pet Awards in Glasgow after being named winners of the Pet Day Care of the Year (Edinburgh/East Lothian) prize.

Andrew and Gillian Cathro, who founded the business, were joined at the ceremony by colleagues Sula Callendar, Sarah Crowe and John Warne.

Andrew said: “We did not have a Christmas night out so we thought, ‘let’s get tickets to this event, go along and have a lovely night [to make up for it]’.

“So when it was announced that we were successful in the category, we were absolutely delighted about.

“We went up to the stage, got presented with the award by Carol Smillie and we could not believe it.

“We did not expect it.

“We thought we would go along and see what happened.”

“We were very, very surprised and really grateful.”

Businesses were shortlisted for awards before members of the public cast their vote to crown a winner.

Andrew and wife Gillian, who works with the NHS, decided to set up the business, which is based at Hodges Farm, near Boggs Holdings, following the coronavirus pandemic.

Andrew, 39, had previously worked as a tool pusher in India and would spend up to a month offshore.

With plans to expand their family in Haddington, they decided to make a change.

Andrew said: “We have always both grown up with dogs and had our own dogs.

“Doing a doggy day care was something we always spoke about but were never really brave enough to do it.

“Then the day care we were using for our own dog, Brody, closed around about Covid times.

“So we thought there could be an opportunity.”

Customers can have their dogs of all shapes and sizes picked up by the business, when they can interact with staff and other dogs, as well as enjoy exercise.

And in a short space of time, the business has grown from looking after about a dozen dogs to up to 100 a week.

Andrew, father to five-year-old Lucy and Emma, who turns one next month, added: “At first, we thought it will be easy but it is not.

“It is a lot harder work than we expected.

“We had never owned our own business and all that side of it we had to learn.

“We got an appreciation of what it would be like to run one and there is a lot more to it but it has been brilliant.

“I have enjoyed the change and we are super delighted that it looks like being successful and working out.

“It is a massive change from what I was doing but I am very happy we have done it.

“It has worked out the best for us.”