![\"You'll](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0_dog-walker.jpg\")
A generic photo of a dog walker (stock image)<\/p>\nOne dog walking business faces having to pay more than \u00a320,000 in annual fees<\/p>\n
18:08, 08 Sep 2025Updated 18:46, 08 Sep 2025<\/p>\n
A generic photo of a dog walker (stock image)<\/p>\n
A huge backlash is getting underway against Bristol City Council\u2019s proposals to charge businesses fees and licences<\/a> costing hundreds of pounds for the privilege of using the city\u2019s parks to run businesses like dog walking or fitness classes. One woman who runs a dog walking and doggy day care in north Bristol said she would face a bill of more than \u00a320,000 a year, and calls for the council to rethink the idea are growing.<\/p>\n A number of separate petitions and campaigns have been started, as the different groups and businesses affected by the proposals, which Bristol Live first revealed last week<\/a>, have been assessing the impact. Almost 3,500 people have already signed a petition set up by professional dog walker Sophie Hunter on the Change.org petition website<\/a>, while a separate petition related to fitness training classes has also been gaining signatures.<\/p>\n Bristol City Council<\/a> announced last week that it was proposing to bring a complex system of licences<\/a> and fees for people whose businesses use any of the city council-owned parks and green spaces. That could be anything from boot camps and fitness classes to yoga and walking groups,<\/a> as well as professional dog walkers who take the dogs in their care for walks in the city\u2019s parks.<\/p>\n The licensing system covers all the parks, and anyone who uses multiple parks – for instance a dog walker that might walk a group of dogs in one park on a Monday, but a different park on a Tuesday – would have to pay for separate licences to cover each individual park.<\/p>\n It\u2019s that complexity and the costs of the licences that has sparked such an outraged reaction. The licences will cost \u00a3450 for one person at one park, and anyone running a business like a fitness training session at more than one park will have to get a multiple parks licence for \u00a3900.<\/p>\n But dog walkers say they are being treated unfairly – the council\u2019s proposal is that each individual named dog walker will require a licence for each park they might walk dogs in. For former city councillor Siobhan Kennedy-Hall, who runs a dog walking, doggy day care, and transport business called Paw2Door in north Bristol, the licence fees would effectively make her business unviable.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have three people working here, including myself. We take dogs to seven different parks – that would mean 21 different licences, each costing \u00a3450 with a \u00a350 application fee. That\u2019s more than \u00a320,000 and that\u2019s just ridiculous,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Bristol parks will soon charge \u00a3450 entry for dog walkers, personal trainers and more<\/a>READ MORE: Outdoor swimming pool \u2018could open in four years\u2019 in East Bristol park as campaign ramps up<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt is extortionate, discriminatory and will put many out of business,\u201d she added. \u201cWe also take on students from SGS College on placements every year, and since every single person who might walk dogs from a business requires individual licences, we would have to pay \u00a3500 every time we have a student on a placement. It just means we wouldn\u2019t be able to do that anymore, which would be a real shame.<\/p>\n \u201cWe understand that we might have to pay something. But one licence per business would seem fair, and we are being discriminated against because while other businesses can get a multi-park licence, we are being told that dog walking businesses would need one for each park. We just don\u2019t understand why it\u2019s so high – it will just mean the end for a lot of dog walking businesses, many of whom are self-employed people who work on their own.<\/p>\n \u201cWe walk dogs for elderly people, or people who are disabled or ill and can\u2019t do it themselves. If this goes through, we\u2019ll have to put our prices right up or just stop altogether, and the knock on effect will be on animal welfare, and an increase in dogs being given up to rescue centres,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n The petition set up by dog walker Sophie Hunter<\/a> calls on the council to consider an alternative proposal. \u201cThe new licensing, which we have only just been made aware of, if unchanged, will impose significant financial stress, particularly for small businesses and independent dog walkers,\u201d she said. \u201cMany may be forced out of work, contributing to rising unemployment rates in the city. Worse yet, dogs will find themselves confined at home for longer periods, potentially impacting their well-being.<\/p>\n \u201cWe propose a more reasonable licensing fee of \u00a3200 per year that covers all parks, nature reserves, and green spaces listed on the council website. This fee will apply to dog walkers as well as any other professionals utilising these spaces. Additionally, implementation should begin on January 1st, 2026, providing ample time for businesses to organise and adjust,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n \u201cThis isn’t just about sustaining livelihoods; it’s about ensuring our city’s green spaces continue to be accessible for all uses, supporting both economic and community well-being. Lower and fairer fees will ensure that professionals can continue to enrich lives, both canine and human, whilst supporting their own,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n The backlash did appear to have one early victory on Monday – the council backtracked on its proposal that the fees and licences would start applying from October 1, and councillors will take more time to consider the issue.<\/p>\n Cllr Stephen Williams, the chair of the committee responsible for Bristol\u2019s parks, defended the idea, and said Bristol was \u2018an outlier\u2019 because it didn\u2019t charge anything at the moment, while neighbouring councils already did.<\/p>\n Cllr Williams told BBC<\/a> Radio Bristol that the idea was something the previous Labour<\/a> administration was going to bring in, but then Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees<\/a> dropped the idea in 2021.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can see that there’s a huge range of fees being charged for people for using our parks, and we have to be consistent,\u201d he said. \u201cIf people rent a space in a park to run a funfair or a concert, which quite often takes place in the Downs or Ashton Court or Eastville Park, then they pay, so we need to be consistent with people, and we also need to make sure that people are safe.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you’re conducting a fitness class in our parks, we need to make sure that the trainers are licensed, have the proper qualifications, and have got insurance cover,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we’re in at the moment is a sort of discovery phase, we’re intelligence gathering,\u201d he said. \u201cWe simply don’t know the range of activities that are taking place in our parks, what people are charging, what insurance they have in place.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce we’ve got that full picture, then we’ll be able to sort of set our charges accordingly. I do have some sympathy for the dog walkers. It’s possible that they do earn less than fitness instructors, but until we’ve got all the information back from the businesses that are operated in our parks, we simply can’t be sure,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Join Bristol Live\u2019s WhatsApp community for top stories and breaking news sent directly to your phone<\/strong><\/p>\n Bristol Live<\/a> is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our community.<\/p>\n Through the app, we\u2019ll send the latest breaking news, top stories, exclusives and much more straight to your phone.<\/p>\n To join our community you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select \u2018Join Community\u2019.<\/a><\/p>\n No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Bristol Live<\/a> team.<\/p>\n We also treat community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. If you don\u2019t like our community, you can check out at any time you like.<\/p>\n To leave our community, click on the name at the top of your screen and choose \u2018Exit group\u2019.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Blaise](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1_PG_BRI_1120922blaise_castle-1.jpg\")
Blaise Castle(Image: PAUL GILLIS \/ Reach PLC)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0_Stephen-Williams-Desk.jpg\")
Former Liberal Democrat MP Stephen Williams(Image: Copyright Unknown)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0_WhatsApp-Phone.jpg\")
Bristol Live WhatsApp Breaking News and Top Stories<\/p>\n