A new charity shop in Taw Hill has won the seal of approval from the area's most famous resident - a beloved roaming cat called Bob.
Anyone in north Swindon paying a visit to Taw Hill Village Centre will have almost certainly come across Bob the cat lounging in Domino's or sauntering through the aisles at the Co-op.
Prospect Hospice moved into the area earlier this year, in the unit formerly used as a veterinary practice.
And Bob has fully embraced the new store almost as soon as staff started to move in - and the feeling is mutual.
Victoria Canavan, head of retail at Prospect Hospice, said: “Our new shop in Taw Hill has opened in what used to be a vets practice and the friendly business owners nearby gave us the heads up about Bob and how he might pop by. The vets had looked after him over the years and he regularly visits other businesses too.
“When we were setting up the new shop earlier this year, he popped in to check out what was happening and we feel truly welcomed to the neighbourhood by him and everyone around us.
"Now that we’re open, he still comes in to make sure we’re keeping on top of all the high-quality pre-loved donations that we receive from local people see and ensures we’re regularly updating our stock so that local people have something new to buy each time they come in.”
Bob's exploits in the area have become so well-known that there's even a dedicated Facebook page for the mischievous moggy called Bob Life run by his owner Claire Edwards and her partner Ian Barrett.
Currently, 2,500 people follow the page for updates on the beloved pet, and a lot of the recent updates shared on the page are from the staff at the new charity store talking about meeting Bob.
Bob's owners said: "We're very pleased that the new Prospect Hospice has joined the other businesses at Taw Hill in embracing Bob, and it seems like Bob has welcomed them to the area as well."
The Prospect Hospice in Taw Hill is open from 9-5pm Monday to Saturday, and offers clothing, books, toys, and homeware.
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