A VETS practice in Malvern is due to close later this month.

The Vets 4 Pets branch, inside Pets at Home on Malvern Shopping Park, was rumoured to be in danger last November as the company announced its pre-tax profits crashed 80.5 per cent to £8 million in the six months to October 11.

As a result, the firm was looking into buying out 55 of its 471 joint venture pet practices with around 30 of those going under review for possible closure.

The Malvern Branch will be closing on April 26.

A statement on the malvern branch website said: “We are sorry to announce the impending closure of the practice on 26 April.

“Please accept our sincere apologies for any distress and inconvenience this may cause.

“Letters will be sent to all clients to inform them and help with any questions regarding their ongoing pet care.

“We will endeavour to make the process as smooth as possible for our clients.”

A spokesman for Pets at Home said: "In line with the announcement that the business made to Joint Venture Partners, colleagues and shareholders in November of last year, we have conducted a review of our practice estate and have taken the decision to buy back into company ownership, or close a small number of practices.

"Our Malvern practice was a location that falls into the small number of businesses that we have taken the decision to close based on our view of the longer term viability of that practice.

"We are in the process of writing to all clients of the surgery and signposting them to the nearest Vets4Pets to be able to continue to provide the best veterinary care for their pets. Importantly, we are working hard with all of our colleagues to try to offer alternative employment still within our group."

The company did not say how many, if any job losses there would be.