A doggy day care centre that opened just last year has announced it will be closing because there is not enough space to provide the best experience for pets.

Bruce's Doggy Day Care Centre in Studley Green, just outside Stokenchurch, opened its doors in January 2020 with a flourish, celebrating their expansion with pizza, Prosecco and cupcakes.

They hoped to provide pets in the area with a facility that would be the "ultimate pooch's playground", but they have been faced with a number of hurdles since opening up.

Late in 2020, neighbours in Horsleys Green and councillors complained they were living through a "nightmare of incessant barking", adding that Bruce's did not have permission to carry out expansion works on land south of Studley Green Garden Centre.

The company submitted a part-retrospective planning application to change the use of the site into a dog day care centre back in November last year - but those plans still have not been decided and were met with objections from residents.

Objections to the plans were still being submitted as recently as March this year from residents who said the pet day care centre is "in the wrong place".

In a statement to the Bucks Free Press, Bruce Casalis, the founder and CEO of Bruce's, said the site is just too small for them to be able to provide the best place for dogs to enjoy and they have sadly made the decision to close.

He said: "It is with sadness that we have had to make the difficult decision to close the Stokenchurch Bruce’s centre and it is not a decision we have taken lightly.

"Over the last 12 years, we have gained a great deal of experience about managing doggy day care and creating an environment that provides the best experience for the dogs.

"One of our biggest learnings is that the more space you have, the more the dogs flourish.

"Stokenchurch has been an adaptation of our wonderful doggy day care into a smaller outdoor space.

"The welfare of the dogs is at the forefront of our business and we have found that there is simply not enough space to be able to provide the very best enriching environment that Bruce’s prides itself on.

"We are working with our customers and staff members to ensure that everyone is fully supported through this transitional period."

Bruce's operates a number of day care centres in different parts of the country and the nearest one is in Cookham.

The company is planning to open up two more centres in Horsham and in Wellington Country Park near Reading.