Plans for self-service dog wash on South Shields seafront revealed

Plans for a self-service dog wash in a South Shields seafront car park have been submitted to South Tyneside Council.

Applicant NE Dog Wash aims to install a dog wash station at the Harbour Drive South Car Park with service connections to the public toilets building including power, water, and waste.

The company, which already operates from locations in Blyth, Whitley Bay and several country parks across the region, provides dog wash stations with cycles including shampoo, rinse, conditioner, ‘further rinse’, and warm blow dry.

The stations also have a quick ‘disinfect tub’ mode that is used to prepare the station for the next customer and ensure the units are kept as clean as possible.

The planning statement says existing sites in the region have been “well received” and that the new facility would have several benefits. This includes “providing a valuable and updated asset for local residents and those from surrounding areas”, encouraging more and longer visits, and “raising the status of adjacent attractions and facilities”.

The planning statement adds: “Today, dog owners will often wash their dog at home in their own bathroom, perhaps adding a monthly trip to a dog groomer.

“Regularly bathing their dog at home will often mean backache leaning over the dog and cleaning the mess in a bathroom afterwards.

“Visiting a self-service dog wash unit makes it easy to clean dogs in a pet safe and pet friendly environment”.

A decision on the planning application will be made once a period of council consultation has concluded.