A major new veterinary practice is set to open after a £900,000 revamp of the former Travis Perkins site in Nantwich.
Phoenix Vet Practice will be run by former TV wildlife presenter Steve Leonard, his wife Kathy, and three other business partners.
The site, on Barony Road, is currently being refurbished and they hope to open by May.
Kathy, speaking to Nantwich News, said they were inspired to build and open a new independent practice to move away from the larger companies buying out other practices.
Steve helped his brother Tom set up Leonard Brothers Veterinary Centre with branches in Nantwich, Crewe and Whitchurch.
Tom sold the practice to a corporate group in 2019 which saw Steve managing three branches.
She said: “We’ve seen vet prices going up and up, yet the big corporations talking about redundancies.
“It’s Venture Capitalists wanting more of a return. We didn’t plan to own a practice but what else can we do?
“So Steve handed in his notice 18 months ago and we teamed up with people thinking along the same lines as us.”
Each partner committed a substantial amount, and with a business bank loan added in they raised the £900,000 needed to buy the former Travis Perkins site and fund a full refurbishment.
They also welcomed recent news that prescription fees from vets will be capped at £21 and practices will have to publish price lists for services.
It followed a Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation which found prices had been rising at nearly twice the rate of inflation.
“People have been asking us why is it so expensive. This ruling has come at a good time for us, because it has made people more aware what the industry has been doing,” added Kathy.
“This makes it more of a level playing field. We are seeing a massive resurgence of independent practices.”
The new Phoenix Vet practice will open with four surgeons, three nurses and two receptionists initially, with plans to expand it demand rises.
“We’ve got an enormous site!” added Kathy. “But we don’t want to get too big.”
The new practice already has around 350 people registered as clients before it has opened and that number is likely to grow before the doors swing open.
Kathy believes Steve’s “fame” from his TV days will help to drive some custom.
Steve worked in the media for a number of years making documentaries for the BBC, ITV, Discovery and Animal Planet.
Kathy added: “His TV appearances are part of history now, for him. Having said that at the age of 53 he is still seen by some as a local celebrity!”
You can keep up to date with the new practice and it’s opening date, here
Ahhh flogging your practice to said “suits” making millions doing it and then finding your morals and trying to save your soul.
I am sure they only have good intentions….