Boldon Colliery veterinary centre to create dozens of new jobs after expanding next door
A veterinary centre is to create dozens of new jobs after expanding into adjacent premises.
Bridge Referrals, based in Boldon Colliery, has successfully secured a lease on the new building to allow the independent family-owned business to increase its services and “almost double in size”.
The centre now expects to expand its workforce from 78 to 130 and “aims to attract expert vets from across the country”.
Its work will include “new dedicated out-of-hours emergency services”.
The referral centre provides pet owners and veterinary practices with a range of advanced treatments for small animals.
The experienced team of vets provide advanced clinical services in orthopaedics, soft tissue surgery, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, diagnostic imaging, internal medicine, oncology, and cardiology.
The company moved into its existing 12,500sq ft premises at 3 Brooklands Way, at Boldon Business Park, in 2022.
The expansion into the new 11,500sq ft unit at number 2 on a 20-year lease means the centre will be able to provide additional expert advice, physiotherapy and hydrotherapy services and become “the biggest emergency centre for small animals in the North East”.
Alison Kennair, a director at Bridge Referrals, said: “Following a restructure of the company, we are pleased that the expansion into the adjacent unit will enable us to expand our services and provide a dedicated out-of-hours small animal service via our new emergency vet team.
Bridge Referrals has also praised legal firm Ward Hadaway for its support in securing both the lease and £3.5m of funding for the new unit.
Ms Kennair said: “Ward Hadaway represented us when we first moved into unit 3 and we had no hesitation in continuing to engage their services for our expansion phase.
"Once again, they have provided us with expert advice and knowledge around securing the additional unit and funding.”
Simon Errington, a partner within the real estate team at Ward Hadaway, based in its Newcastle office, commented: “This is the second transaction we have completed for Bridge Referrals and it is great to see a local and highly specialised business expand and succeed.
“Not only will this new unit enable them to expand their footprint and services, they will also be able to create new jobs and I look forward to watching them grow.”