There are certain businesses that become part of everyday life without ever needing to shout about it. They earn their reputation the slow way – through consistency, through relationships and through turning up, day after day, come rain or shine. In local service sectors, longevity tends to say more than any marketing line ever could. People don’t stay loyal for 20 years unless trust is built properly – and that trust has real staying power.
In Norwich, one of those stories is reaching an impressive milestone. This month, Mark Gillard and Lucy Wayne are celebrating 20 years running Petpals in the city – marking two decades of looking after local pets and becoming familiar faces to hundreds of owners across the area.
Here, Kevin Thackrah, Director of Petpals, discusses what that kind of longevity really looks like in practice – and why it still matters.
From my perspective, 20 years is a significant achievement in any sector – but particularly in pet care. It’s demanding work and it’s deeply personal. People are trusting you with their home, their routine and the animals they care about most. That kind of responsibility can’t be taken lightly – and it certainly can’t be sustained for two decades unless you’re doing things properly.
Mark and Lucy started Petpals Norwich back in 2006 after stepping away from long careers in the television industry. They moved back from London looking for a healthier, more balanced way of life – and ended up building something that has lasted far longer than they ever expected.
“We got to a point where we wanted our days to look very different,” said Mark. “We’ve always been animal people and when we moved back to Norwich, we were surprised by how hard it was to find pet care we genuinely trusted. We looked at each other and thought, ’maybe we should just do it ourselves’ – and somehow here we are 20 years later!”
That origin story matters because it’s grounded in real life. They weren’t chasing a trend – they saw a need and wanted to deliver something better. And in a sector built on trust, that motivation still counts. It’s also a reminder that long-term businesses are rarely built on big gestures. They’re built on getting the basics right, consistently.
Of course, expectations have shifted since 2006. Pet care will always come down to reliability and trust, but owners now want to feel more connected while they’re away. They’re looking for clear communication, quick updates and reassurance that everything at home is running smoothly.
“It’s always been about care,” Mark said. “But now it’s also about reassurance – knowing who’s coming through the door, getting an update, feeling confident everything’s going smoothly. Those small details make a big difference.”
That reassurance is exactly what turns a service into a relationship – and over time, those relationships become the foundation of real loyalty. It’s why Mark and Lucy now care for second, and even third, generations of pets in Norwich.
“You suddenly realise how long you’ve been around when the kids you first met are off to university or coming back with dogs of their own,” Mark said. “That’s when it stops feeling like a job and starts feeling like you’re just part of people’s lives.”
That kind of loyalty can’t be manufactured. It’s earned through years of dependable service, where standards don’t slip – in all weathers, across long days. And after 20 years, there’s still a clear enjoyment in what they do – even if it feels different now than it did at the beginning.
“We’re definitely a bit creakier than we were when we started!” Mark said. “There are mornings when it’s freezing cold or absolutely chucking it down with rain, and your body lets you know you’ve been doing this a long time. But then a dog comes bounding over to see you or you’re greeted like an old friend – then you remember exactly why you’re still doing it.”
For me, it highlights something we don’t talk about enough: longevity. Anyone can make a splash early on, but building a reputation that lasts this long takes real commitment. Mark and Lucy have earned that – not through big gestures, but through standards, consistency and trust, year after year. In the end, that’s what the staying power of trust looks like.
