Southern Enterprise Awards 2020

25 | Southern Enterprise Awards 2020 Best Aquatics & Reptile Centre – Wiltshire Aqualush is the home from home for fish, marine life and reptiles, situated in Swindon, Wiltshire. Owned and managed by fish aficionado, Karen Hunt, Aqualush provides an extensive range of tropical and marine life, corals and cold-water fish, as well as a large range of reptile products, live food and animals. Catering for every aquatic or reptilian need, it is no wonder the company is being celebrated as the Best Aquatics and Reptile Centre at the Southern Enterprise Awards 2020. Founder and Owner of the Premier Waterlife, Marine and Reptile Centre, Aqualush, Karen Hunt has harboured a true passion for fish and marine life since a young age. This passion was only sharpened when she acquired her first ever fish, an orange and white goldfish that she won at the fair after a gruelling round of ‘Hook-a-Duck’. Although the lifespan of this fish was tragically short, it would turn out to be the first of many that would find themselves in Karen’s devoted care. Absorbing every bit of information that she could find about aquatic life, Karen started collecting fish tanks of every type, from goldfish tanks to tropical to seahorse to marine. She even added her own koi pond to the mix. Eventually, surrounded by tanks and tanks of fish that represented her true passion in life, Karen decided to leave her plc career behind her to open Aqualush in 2016. Two years later, the company had doubled in size and added the reptile contingent to the company to become the premier independent Waterlife, Marine and Reptile Centre that it is today. Providing a large selection of tropical, marine, coral and cold-water fish as well as an extensive range of reptile products, live food, animals, bird products, dog and cat food and small animal products, Aqualush truly covers all the bases. However, the company prides itself on being much more than a shop, but a place in which Karen and her team are able to share their passion with customers. Besides the reptile holiday hotel, which provides the reassurance of knowledgeable and conscientious care for clients’ reptilian pets while they’re on holiday, Aqualush also hosts open days, reptile handling days and the year-round KIDZ Zone, which provides a space for children to have fun, learn and appreciate the importance of looking after this branch of biodiversity for generations to come. The wider impact of their work is central to the close-knit team at Aqualush, who work hard to help their customers as fully as possible whilst ensuring all their animals are well cared for, educating and ensuring potential owners have the facilities to look after their pet properly. Aqualush is also well-known for rescuing and rehoming reptiles and snakes, donating all the proceeds to the various charities the company is affiliated with. Since day one, Aqualush has raised funds for The Recovery Tree Charity, and has since added The Olive Tree Café, Pinecones and TWIGS to the charities they work with, for which Karen became a trustee in 2019. All this exceptional work has earned Aqualush a hugely positive reputation across the bustling city of Swindon and the resulting business activity has this year enabled the shop to expand into larger premises on the Great Western Trade Park. The move was accomplished in the midst of the global pandemic which Aqualush, like many businesses across the country, felt the impacts of harshly. With facilities like KIDZ Zone having to be put on pause and the number of shoppers reduced due to the obligation to wear face coverings, business activity initially fell substantially for Aqualush. Besides the reptile holiday hotel, which provides the reassurance of knowledgeable and conscientious care for clients’ reptilian pets while they’re on holiday Aug20442 However, with their new, open, clean and large premises and continued exemplary customer service, Aqualush remains confident about the future as they begin to see an increase in customers returning to their shop. This spells out good news for Aqualush, as it facilitates their efforts to continue making a positive impact on the care of fish and reptiles, not just in their own shop but in the wider context. With education still at the forefront of their priorities, Aqualush is continuing to share with future generations how we can protect our valuable aquatic and reptilian life, in order to maintain a long and sustainable future that celebrates biodiversity. Contact: Mrs Karen Hunt Company: Aqualush Ltd Web Address: www.aqua-lush.co.uk