FIVP member Pennard Vets has opened its new premises, which is now one of the largest and most advanced practices in the South-East.
The independent practice in Sevenoaks, which is employee-owned, has invested £3.5 million in the development of a new practice that is double the size of the original building.
The 11,500 sq ft practice has been in planning for over three years. This has involved focus groups with local pet owners and consultations with the veterinary team to fully understand what the building needed to deliver.
Pennard Vets has had an extensive history in Sevenoaks, with the original premises opening over 130 years ago in 1892.
The practice was purpose-built by its founder, David Pugh, to meet all the veterinary needs of its time. This included hay lofts, stables and a small treatment room.
Since then it has collected several claims to fame, including treating Sir Winston Churchill’s black swans and the opening of its hydrotherapy ward by former boxer Sir Henry Cooper.
After a proud history in its Eardley Road premises, director Matt Flann believes that the new building on Pembroke Road marks a full-circle moment for the practice.
The new building includes separate dog, cat and exotic wards, a CT scanner, a dental suite, and a private bereavement room. It also houses the group’s 24-hour emergency hospital.
It creates at least 16 new roles within the business.
Dr Flann said “Over the years the building had undergone several modifications and extensions to cope with modern medicine, but to really future-proof Pennard Vets, we needed to create a modern and welcoming space for our clients, their pets and our team, as well as enough theatre rooms to carry out clinical procedures and quiet, comfortable wards where pets can recover peacefully.
“The new building also allows us to extend our services to include a CT machine for advanced imaging and all of this is set within a highly energy-efficient building.”
Image (C) Pennard Vets
