Update given on new Fulwood site for Oakhill Vets

A new veterinary centre is opening in Preston with the support of an £850,000 finance package from Lloyds Bank.

Oakhill Veterinary Centre has used the six-figure loan to finance the purchase of its new premises, now refurbished before opening to patients in early summer 2022.

The site will be located in Lytham Road and be the central facility for small animal veterinary care, welcoming thousands of pets from the local area each year.

Tony Barry, CEO of Oakhill Veterinary Centre, said: “We are committed to providing the highest quality of care and service for all our patients from when they arrive in the waiting room right through to rehabilitation.

“More than three million households in the UK have acquired a pet since the start of the pandemic, meaning the UK now has an incredible 17 million pet-owning homes.

“This is creating even more demand for small animal veterinary services, and we need to expand into a larger and more sophisticated site to support this.

“The Lloyds Bank team has been by our side throughout the process, and their support and guidance have been invaluable. We look forward to continuing to work with them as we move forward.”

The centre will have veterinary medical equipment and machinery for x-rays, digital imaging, and ultrasound tests.

Veterinary medical staff will have the capacity to perform on-site surgery and procedures, including orthopaedic and dental surgery.

The practice said they want customers to enjoy the best possible experience during their visit to the vets, with separate dedicated appointment rooms and waiting areas for cats and dogs.

Kate Salt, relationship director of Lloyds Bank, said: “The UK is well known for being a nation of animal lovers. Most pet owners want their four-legged companions to receive the same high level of care and service as any other member of their family.

“Oakhill’s new veterinary centre will help to tap into continually rising demand for veterinary care with the opening of their new centre in Preston, and we are pleased to have facilitated this expansion.

“We will look to support other pet care businesses in the North West hoping to make the most of this growing opportunity as part of our ongoing commitment to helping Britain prosper.”

Judith Lee and Lisa Steinhage, two of Oakhill’s most accomplished veterinary surgeons, have more than four decades of experience in the industry and will lead the surgery.

Supporting them are a team of eight veterinary nurses headed by Nicola Porter.

Following the opening of the new practice, the business expects to create jobs for an additional two veterinarians and two nurses.

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