A VETERINARY surgery in Reed is moving to a vacant site on the outskirts of Buntingford. The Woolpack Veterinary Surgery, which has been based in London Road for the past 18 years, will be moving to the former Little Chef site on the A10 bypass. The site

A VETERINARY surgery in Reed is moving to a vacant site on the outskirts of Buntingford.

The Woolpack Veterinary Surgery, which has been based in London Road for the past 18 years, will be moving to the former Little Chef site on the A10 bypass.

The site was auctioned last month by Strettons auctioneers for £500,000.

Rosemary Hobson, owner of The Woolpack and the new site, said: "We are short of space at our current practice and there is no room to extend, so when the opportunity came up to buy the Little Chef site we grabbed it."

The new practice should have extra consulting rooms, two operating rooms, a prep room, an X-ray room, recovery kennels, and better car parking facilities.

"It's an exciting project. The new facilties are going to give us more room to work in and enable us to cater for all eventualities," said Mrs Hobson.

When the practice moves to the larger premises, Mrs Hobson said she envisaged staff numbers to stay as they were.

"We will be able to utilise our manpower as it is, but we hope waiting times will be reduced," she said.

Earlier in the year restaurateurs were interested in the site, and there were rumours that the indian restaurant, Raj Villa, might be moving from High Cross to Buntingford.

Buntingford town councillor Sanjit Basra said: "There is probably a greater need for a veterinary surgery as opposed to a restaurant. I'm sure it will benefit people in Buntingford because there are a lot of pet-lovers in the area."

District councillor John Warren said: "I would rather see the site be put to good use than be left empty."

The new surgery should be up and running within the next four to six months.

Work will commence on the site once Mrs Hobson has been given planning permission for a change of use of the premises.