Newport vets launch late-opening petition

By South Wales Argus Newsdesk

A NEWPORT vets has launched a petition against an enforcement notice clamping down on their opening hours. Budget Vets, on Malpas Road, applied to extend its closing time from 6pm to 7pm weekdays and 5pm to 6pm on Saturday so it could cover any remaining patients.

Newport council rejected the application as councillors felt longer opening hours would cause an unacceptable level of noise and disturbance to nearby residents.

Staff at the surgery have now launched a petition aiming to convince the council to drop an enforcement notice, which was issued after the approved opening hours were breached. Budget Vets clinical director,

Peter Heathcote, said: “We only requested to extend our opening hours by 60 minutes to meet the demand of our clientele and ultimately help sick animals, instead we are now facing possible prosecution.”

A council spokesman said: “A breach of condition notice has been served due to their failure to comply with the approved opening hours. “At the current time, the applicant has exercised their right of appeal to the Assembly against the council’s decision and is awaiting a decision from a hearing scheduled for September.”

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