eterinary referral business lands multimillion-pound boost to support expansion and create jobs.
A North East-based veterinary referral business has secured a multimillion-pound loan, enabling it to significantly expand its site and create 50 jobs.
Bridge Referrals, based at Boldon Business Park, is expanding into a second unit next door to its existing site after rapid growth since opening in October 2022.
The move will increase appointment capacity, support the launch of a new out-of-hours service and allow the centre to bring MRI scanning fully in-house.
Bridge Referrals provides advanced referral treatments for small animals, working with primary care veterinary practices across the North East.
As its reputation has grown, the centre has also begun receiving referrals from further afield, including the Scottish Borders, North Yorkshire and Cumbria. It now works with around 132 referring practices.
Since launch, the business has grown from 22 colleagues to more than 80.
The project is being backed by Lloyds through a £2m business loan to fund the fit-out of the second unit, alongside £540,000 of asset finance to purchase an MRI scanner.
As the new facilities come online, Bridge Referrals plans to grow its workforce to around 130 across the next two years.
Recruitment is expected across veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and patient care assistants, as well as wider clinical support and administrative roles.
The fit-out of the second unit is expected to complete in October 2026.
Emma Mace, director at Bridge Referrals, said: “Veterinary referrals are incredibly demanding, not just because of the expertise required, but because of the investment in equipment, facilities and the teams needed to run them. We’ve grown quickly through word of mouth, and we were reaching the point where our space and access to certain diagnostics were limiting how many cases we could accept.
“Bringing MRI fully in-house will help us to dramatically increase availability and grow specialist areas including neurology, while the new out-of-hours service will give local practices a trusted partner to help with emergency cover.
“Working with Lloyds has felt like a step change. They understood what we were building, and the funding package has given us the flexibility to invest with confidence, expand our services and create more skilled roles over the next two years.”
Stuart Harper, relationship director, healthcare at Lloyds Bank, added: “Bridge Referrals has built a strong reputation in a short space of time, and this investment will help it meet growing demand for specialist veterinary care across the North East and beyond. Expanding into a second unit, adding ICU and rehabilitation capacity, and bringing MRI scanning in-house will mean quicker access to vital diagnostics and treatment for more animals.
“We’re proud to support Emma and the team with funding that will also help create around 50 new roles and strengthen the region’s veterinary infrastructure as the business continues to grow.”
By Insidemedia
By Alice Bird
