Tower and Town, October 2026 (view the full edition)Footprints'Marlborough Pets' owner Tina Kelly, daughter- Martina (photo p.20) 1. Where were you born? I was born in West London and lived there until I was 11. My family then moved to Wiltshire in the 1980s, where I have lived ever since and where I met my husband and raised my family. Growing up, we had a much-loved family pet, a Golden Retriever called Robbie, who would happily ride a skateboard alongside me on the way to school, much to the amusement of everyone we passed. 2. What passion have you followed in life? After college, I worked for several years with Nationwide. It gave me a strong foundation in customer service, organisation, and business, but I always had a passion for animals and the outdoors. When my daughter was born, I took time out to focus on family. As she grew older, I decided it was the right time to turn my lifelong love of pets and nature into a business, and that's how Marlborough Pets was founded. Sixteen years later, the business is still thriving, and I'm incredibly proud of what I've built and the relationships we've developed with our customers and the local community. One of the highlights of my career has also been welcoming my daughter into the business. 3. Had you heard of Marlborough before moving here? Yes. As a child, my grandparents would often bring us to Marlborough as a special treat, and one of our favourite places to visit was Polly's Tea Rooms. Those visits created some wonderful family memories, which I also continued with my husband on shopping trips to Marlborough, so I already had a real affection for Marlborough long before I came to establish the business here. 4. What brought you to Marlborough? I came to Marlborough in 2010 to establish Marlborough Pets. I chose Marlborough because it had such a strong sense of community and a vibrant high street that was full of independent, unique businesses. Unlike many other towns that had become dominated by national chains, Marlborough had retained its individual character, and that really appealed to me. 5. Why did you decide to stay? It didn't take long for me to realise that Marlborough was the perfect place to build both my business and my future. The town has a wonderful community of animal lovers who genuinely care about their pets, and it has been incredibly rewarding to provide the products, advice, and service that local people value. One of the greatest joys has been getting to know generations of local families through their pets-helping people welcome a new puppy or kitten and then supporting them throughout their pet's life.
Matt Gow |
