FAMILY-owned chain PamPurredPets is to open seven more stores after securing £250,000 in funding.

The retailer, founded in Ferndown, obtained the finance from HSBC and will increase its store network from 47 to 54 branches over the next two years.

It will focus primarily on the M4 corridor and Southern England.

The company will also become the second retailer, after Tesco, to introduce digital marketing screens which recognise a customer’s face and target adverts to them.

The company, established in 1981, opened stores Wantage, Oxfordshire, and Rustington, Sussex, just before Christmas, and is due to open further outlets in Bristol and Bordon, Hampshire, in the coming weeks.

The expansion programme will create up to 50 jobs, bringing the total staff to 385.

PamPurredPets was founded by managing director Steve Fowler and his wife Debbie and remains under family management, with daughters Natasha and Samantha also working for the business. It specialises in food and accessories for dogs, cats, birds and small animals and its store portfolio includes small outlets in garden centres as well as high street locations and out-of-town shopping centres.

It has a policy of opening stores of less than 5,000sq ft to help retain a personal approach . The business imports the majority of its accessories stock from China, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands as part of a buying group called Fab Creations.

The finance for the expansion was secured from HSBS’s Dorset Commercial Centre in a deal led by senior international commercial manager Andy Farmer. The company is a long-standing HSBC customer.

Mr Fowler said: “Customers like the service we provide and we believe that by expanding our store network we will be able to take a greater share of the £950m pet food and accessories market. We are focusing our store expansion programme on locations where we believe we will enjoy 50 per cent market share and, looking towards the future, we would like to look at markets with a strong expat presence, such as Spain and Cyprus.”

Andy Farmer said: “PamPurredPets is an innovator in its market. Steve led the foundation of a buying group to import stock from the Far East and the company will be the second retailer after Tesco to install reactive digital marketing screens, which recognise the features of an individual’s face to tailor adverts specifically to them. We are pleased to support the company’s growth plans.”