Man’s best friend will come first at Boo the dog’s new salon in Great Yarmouth

Emma Goffin is opening an independent dog grooming salon called Boo-Tique on Bridge Road.Picture: James Bass (Image: Archant Norfolk Photographic © 2013)

Four-legged customers are coming first at Emma Goffin’s new independent dog grooming salon in Great Yarmouth.

Mrs Goffin, 39, today (Monday) opened Boo-Tique in Southtown Road near Haven Bridge. The business is named after her beloved miniature schnauzer, Boo.

Starting up the salon has been a labour of love for the Goffin family, who have eight dogs in total.

“I was going to set up from home when a shop on the bridge became vacant,” said Mrs Goffin.

“We looked into it and for the past four weeks we’ve been completely renovating it. It’s really been a labour of love.

“My big aim is to provide a personal service; a service for the dogs not the owners,” added Mrs Goffin.

“It can become a bit of a conveyor belt at some salons. I want the dogs to come first.”

The ethos is proving popular already - Boo-Tique had three customers booked in before it even opened.

Back at home in Gorleston, Mrs Goffin will still find time to enter Boo and the rest of the family’s doggie brood into shows.

Bubbles, a two-year-old Lhasa Apso, belongs to Mrs Goffin’s 15-year-old son Luke and previously competed in the ‘Utility’ category at Crufts.

Bubbles sported floor-length fur until recently - it used to take up to five hours to cut and blow dry, but it’s being kept short while Luke focuses on his GCSEs.

Also in the pack are miniature dachshund Ria, who belongs to 21-year-old Jordan who has Cystic Fibrosis and is currently waiting for a liver and lung transplant.

There is also long-haired miniature dachshund Pip, smooth-haired miniature dachshund Chip, and Jordan’s wife Georgia’s smooth-coated Chihuahua Minion.

Boo-Tique is at 8 Southtown Road, previously home of Jennifer’s Cakes.