A County Durham independent vets’ practice is to create new jobs and a new town centre clinic after securing a £400,000 investment.
Sore Paws Veterinary Clinic will soon be on the move to Cobbers Hall Shopping Centre in Newton Aycliffe, after taking up space which is three times the size of its existing surgery. The new practice, which is in the process of being fitted out, will include five consultation rooms, two operating theatres, a laboratory and X-Ray room, as well as separate areas for cats and dogs and a bereavement room with a separate entrance.
The practice will retain its existing premises – a smaller, 900 sqft unit within the same shopping centre – which will be used to house CT scanning facilities. It will also make the facilities available for hire by other vets in the area. It is also planning to take on additional staff, increasing the number of vets from four to seven and the number of nurses from six to nine.
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The expansion comes after Sore Paws raised £400,000 from NPIF II – Mercia Debt Finance, which is managed by Mercia Debt as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II). The funding will help to cover the cost of fitting out the new facility, additional equipment and will also provide additional working capital for growth.
Sore Paws was founded in 2015 by Dr Sarah Holmes, who initially worked all over the world after qualifying as a vet, including for a charity for street dogs and cats in India, and in wildlife conservation in Africa. She returned to the North East and took over an ailing practice, and was joined soon afterwards by her husband Aaron, who had previously spent 20 years in the Merchant Navy and who took on the role of practice manager. The couple now also run a second practice, Blue Star in Winlaton, which they acquired in 2018.
The practice has treated around 6,000 pets over the past 12 months and has over 48,000 registered in total, with the number increasing by over 100 each month. Its revenue has almost doubled in the past three years.
Dr Holmes, veterinary director, said: “We are an independent practice that aims to combine modern medicine with old-fashioned care. With veterinary practice evolving fast, we believe it is important to keep up to date. The funding will enable us to stay at the forefront and offer a modern, purpose-built surgery with all the latest equipment while retaining the ‘village vet’ feel and our trusted relationship with clients.”
Gary Whitaker of Mercia Debt added: “Sarah and Aaron have built a successful and growing practice but their existing unit was very cramped and they urgently needed more space. The NPIF II funding will enable them to fit out and equip their new premises and provide a more welcoming space for clients. Given the amount of new homes being built in the area, and the fact that one in three households now has a pet, it will also provide a valuable local facility for the people of Newton Aycliffe.”
Paul Grace of brokers YBFA provided fundraising advice to Sore Paws.