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Goddard Veterinary Group was originally established in 1952 by veterinary surgeon Arthur Goddard and has since expanded to 44 branches and three flagship hospitals in and around Greater London — meaning we can be here for you and your pet 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Wanstead Veterinary Hospital
Our Wanstead Veterinary Hospital has been offering...
- Your Local London Vet Practice
Goddard Veterinary Practices have been recognisable as local...
- Wanstead Veterinary Hospital
Goddard Veterinary Practices have been recognisable as local London Vets throughout the boroughs since 1952. Our experienced veterinary and administrative team is dedicated to delivering the highest quality pet healthcare whether it is your first visit or your tenth year with us.
We are dedicated to caring for your pet’s healthcare needs from our network of branches and flagship 24-hour hospitals. Our skilled veterinary surgeons are assisted by knowledgeable and friendly staff helping us set the standards for excellence in veterinary care.
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VetPartners’ completed purchase of Goddard could now be referred for an in-depth investigation after the CMA found that the deal raises competition concerns.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened its investigation into VetPartners Limited’s purchase of Goddard Holdco Limited, which trades as Goddard Veterinary Group, in March 2022. Both firms are providers of veterinary services. VetPartners, owned by the private equity firm BC Partners, operates approximately 550 sites across the UK, while Goddard, a family-owned business, operates 47 sites in Greater London.
As with the CMA’s recent investigation into CVS’s purchase of The Vet , this deal takes place against a backdrop of a small number of corporate groups, including VetPartners, buying up large numbers of independent practices and local chains of vets across the UK. The CMA has received a number of complaints in recent years about higher prices or lower quality services as a result of multiple vets’ practices in the same local area being owned by a single company. VetPartners, like most of these corporate groups, not only owns and operates local vet practices, but also has broader activities within the veterinary sector, owning other businesses including diagnostic laboratories, locum agencies, and crematoria.
Following its Phase 1 investigation into VetPartners’ acquisition of Goddard, the CMA has found that the merger raises competition concerns in 11 local areas across Greater London.
The CMA’s investigation found that the combined businesses would account for a significant proportion of veterinary services in each of these areas. While veterinary practices owned by VetPartners and Goddard currently compete for customers at each of these locations, the CMA is concerned that the combined businesses would not face sufficient competition after the merger. This could lead to pet owners facing a worse quality of service, including more limited treatment options, or having to pay higher prices.
Colin Raftery, Senior Director of Mergers, at the CMA, said:
1.VetPartners refers to VetPartners Limited, and Goddard refers to Goddard Holdco Limited, which trades as Goddard Veterinary Group.
2.Following a Phase 1 review, the CMA has found that VetPartners’ acquisition of Goddard gives rise to a realistic prospect of a substantial lessening of competition (SLC) in the local areas around 11 practices acquired by VetPartners, all located in Greater London, primarily in the north-east London area.
3.The information available to the CMA indicates that the combined businesses of the VetPartners and Goddard would provide more than 30% of all veterinary services in each of these 11 local areas.
4.The CMA served an initial enforcement order in November 2021 requiring the companies to operate independently, as they did before the purchase. The order remains in force. Details of the order can be found on the VetPartners / Goddard merger inquiry case page.
5.The CMA’s investigation focused on the provision of commercial veterinary services to small animals (including cats, dogs and other pets), and excluded services for equine and farm animals (horses and livestock); the CMA’s investigation also excluded out of hours services, referral services, home visit and telemedicine vets, as well as non-commercial practices in the market, such as charities.
6.The Pet Food Manufacturer’s Association found in its 2021 Pet Population report that 17 million UK households had pets, accounting for approximately 59% of UK households.
Oct 27, 2021 · One of the UK’s largest independent veterinary practices has been acquired by VetPartners. VetPartners has announced today (27 October) that it has bought family owned business, Goddard Veterinary Group, which was founded by veterinary surgeon Arthur Goddard in 1952.
Our Wanstead Veterinary Hospital has been offering veterinary care to pets from its original site since 1972. Whilst consistently providing a high standard of expertise to the local community throughout this time as a general veterinary practice, Wanstead Hospital also offers its specialist services to pets requiring an Emergency Vet in North ...
We are very proud to be a long-standing veterinary group across Greater London. Since we were established in 1952, we have grown to 44 veterinary practices and 3 flagship veterinary hospitals...
