Member News
A South Tyneside-based veterinary referral centre is looking forward to expanding its services thanks to advice from law firm Ward Hadaway.
Bridge Referrals, based in Boldon Colliery has successfully secured a lease on an adjacent building allowing the family-owned, independent veterinary business to expand its services and almost double in size and create new jobs.
The referral centre provides pet owners and veterinary practices 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 on Boldon Business Park in 2022 and is already one of the most advanced veterinary practices in the North East, bridging the gap between first opinion practices and referral centres.
Ward Hadaway provided legal advice by securing a lease on the company’s first unit in 2022. Lawyers from the firm’s Real Estate Team has continued to support the practice by laterally advising in connection with:
● the new long-term 20-year lease of the adjacent unit,
● a corporate restructuring; and
● a £3.5m funding taken by Bridge Referrals from Lloyds to refinance and fund the extensive fit out of the new unit.
The company restructuring and the expansion of Bridge Referrals into the new 11,500sq. ft. unit means they will continue to be able to provide expanded expert advice, physiotherapy and hydrotherapy services, including a new dedicated out-of-hours emergency services. This new service will be called the Emergency Vet Team. The expansion will also include the latest, state-of-the-art Siemens MAGNETOM Flow MRI scanner – becoming the biggest emergency centre for small animals in the North East.
The expansion means the practice will also increase its current headcount from 78 employees to 130 and aims to attract expert vets from across the country.
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.
“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 and Ruby have been a pleasure to work with.”
Simon Errington, a Partner within the Real Estate Team at Ward Hadaway based in their 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."
