A veterinary clinic in Essex has been hailed at a national awards ceremony.
The Weeley Veterinary Centre, in Colchester Road, was once again successful at the Best UK Vets Awards.
The practice received several accolades and was crowned Best Small Vet UK as well as Best New Start-up, which it won for the second year in a row.
Led by Dr April Young, who has lived and worked in Tendring since 2012, the clinic opened in September 2022.
Commenting on the success, she said: “My team and I are absolutely thrilled and would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported us.
“We started so strongly there was a lot of pressure to keep up the good work and these awards confirm we have managed to do exactly that.
“Our ethos is ‘Exceptional veterinary care from local people you can trust’ and I would like to praise my colleagues for striving to provide exceptional care every day.
“Following the Best UK Vets Awards last year I have been asked by several people ‘What’s next? Will you expand? Are you going to open a branch surgery?’
“My answer is no. My amazing colleagues and I have created something very special which I want to protect.
“I was previously in charge of a much larger practice and, in my opinion, bigger is not always better.
“Ultimately, I opened Weeley Veterinary Centre because I love being a vet and I would run the risk of spending more time in management and less time vetting if our business were to grow.”
Following the success at the awards, the Weeley practice has attracted a lot of attention from colleagues.
Dr Young said: “I regularly hear from veterinary surgeons seeking advice on how to replicate Weeley Veterinary Centre’s success in their local communities.
“There’s something of an independent veterinary practice revival at present, which is very exciting.
“Of course, it’s incredibly hard work and not for the faint-hearted but it’s lovely to support other vets as they make their dreams a reality.”
New clients can join a waiting list, which is regularly reviewed by staff to ensure they are accepted as quickly as possible.
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