Newton Clarke Veterinary Practice
An independently owned veterinary practice in rural Dorset (with the perfect address…Sheeplands Lane) opened to great acclaim in July 2024. With many of our staff, who are also pet owners, living nearby, our specification team were chomping at the bit to start on this engaging project.
Paws for thought
The vets admitted that the business “was outgrowing our previous Sherborne practice and looking forward to a bigger and better practice, which still offers the same personal experience and exceptional standard of care, but with improved facilities.”
The gauntlet was thrown, and before a dog picked it up and ran away with it, our specification team stepped in and took up the challenge.
Newton Clarke veterinary surgeons have a philosophy of providing people and their pets with “a compassionate, modern and professional service”, so this was the mantra our staff held tightly to throughout the whole process of consultation, specification, supply, and on-going after sales support.
Read on to find out how we overcame creating a unique premises whilst incorporating elements of another local branch, delivering a highly practical yet contemporary look, and including all fire door safety aspects within a non-clinical yet hygienic and supportive environment.
Compassionate, modern, professional
Quite a tall order to deliver through window and door hardware?
Not for our specification team. Or for Hammond Building Contractors, who have been established in Dorset since the 1920s. Working in sectors from ecclesiastical to community, residential to leisure, both refurbishment and new build, this interesting one-off custom project was well within their wheelhouse.
Newton Clarke veterinary surgeons had an existing branch in Yeovil that had its own character, personality, look, feel, and requirements. The new, purpose-built Sherborne premises had to echo key parts of its Yeovil sister branch, they’re one and the same company after all. However, Sherborne needed its own unique character, whilst still delivering on the vet’s values, and providing continuity for customers who’d been visiting the older facility with their pets.
Door Controls Direct have worked with Hammonds on a wide range of projects for over 40 years so clear channels of communication are long-established, preferences and requirements are well known, so hand in hand with the client and design management company we got our heads together to deliver something pretty special.
In general, the marks we had to meet included:
• Safety in use
• Accessible
• Secure
The focus of site specifics was:
• Modern and professional
• Distinctive
• Highly functional
This project wasn’t going to be without its challenges and limitations but collectively, the right people, all invested in this project, were involved from the off. So, where did we start once floor plans had been received?
Money where our meowth is
Of course it had to be fit for purpose. This highly practical, hands on facility had to deliver on its main purpose – providing treatment to pets – so a failure of its ironmongery wasn’t an option. Coupled with the philosophy of the practice, we had a solid base to build a specification from. It was time to do our thing.
Liaising with the contractor, who was pulling in all details and communications from the design management company, an initial specification was created, with internal cylinder lengths based on the information on the door schedule. Our scheduling team applied their years of experience to outlining each element of door hardware in detail, door by door.
To continue to deliver a fit for purpose specification, general points we made sure to cover included:
Safe and compliant
From windows to doors, internal and external, this building had to be safe for all users and meet all of the requirements of building regulations, including all fire safety measures. Fire door ironmongery, including signage, added to the passive fire safety measures in place throughout the building. Our GAI trained specification team keep bang up to date with regulations, legislation, standards, and product development so know the questions to ask to ensure we’re giving the best advice and allowing for the right products on the right doors.
Accessible
A wide variety of people would be using this facility, whether staff or customers, so it had to be suitable for use by all. To comply with the dimensional requirements of BS8300-2, we allowed for DIN standard lockcases from ARRONE and Easi-T. The mortice lockcases from these leading brands allowed us to colour match the different finishes across different parts of the building.
For further ease of access, we scheduled pull handles that also comply with BS8300-2 dimensions, accessible bathroom thumbturns, easy-grip elliptical turns on cylinder lock barrels, plus clear fire and WC signage throughout.
Secure
Access2 euro profile cylinders were supplied on a new master key system, allowing the possibility for future extension to their Yeovil sister branch. A site visit by Door Controls Direct during construction ensured cylinder sizes suited external and internal doors to the millimeter, allowing for the depth of escutcheons of course. The master key system also accommodates any expansion to include future sites, as well as any additional locking points that existing facilities may need.
Site specifics comprised of:
Modern and professional
How did we solve the desire for a contemporary, professional look in somewhere so obviously clinical? Two factors – design and finish.
Not dissimilar to a hotel or high-end restaurant, we went dual finish. From handles through to door closers and colour matched cylinders, back of house and front of house areas had a separate treatment.
The design of the customer-facing front of house pull handles was the Heritage Brass “Urban” handle, fixed back to back with concealed fixings, operating roller catches. Antique brass finish hardware sat perfectly on matt black doors, some with slender vision panels and discreet black kickplates. Back of house had the more accepted and expected satin stainless steel finish, with D handles and return to door levers.
Distinctive
The finish of hardware and doors, along with vision panels providing light along with the required privacy, temperature, and acoustic control, with fire safety on fire rated doors, made for an eye catching aesthetic. And when your eye was caught, details like the semi-radiused covers of the satin nickel finish Zoo and antique brass Rutland door closers, and the matching window lock finish didn’t disappoint.
Highly functional
Due to the nature of building we couldn’t rest on our laurels and supply good looking hardware, not unless it also delivered on function.
So, our door schedule looked like this:
• High use doors had pull handles
• Doors were protected by kickplates
• Backcheck and delayed action door closers
• Fire door hardware had intumescent protection
• Clear signage throughout – for room usage and safety
• DIN standard locks with accessible centre and backset measurements
Frontline implementation
The specification went through the usual few revisions prior to sign off. Every door is considered on an individual basis, with amendments made with a swift turnaround so when goods get to site, supplied in labelled doorsets by our long-standing despatch team, the hardware goes from box to door within moments.
As mentioned, a site visit took place to establish cylinders lengths. With specialist knowledge and some handy tools of the trade, all of our spec team are happy to don hi-vis, hard hat, boots, and any site-specific PPE to see for themselves any challenges on a project, advise of different options, and in this case, measure up to ensure the correct products are ordered for each and every door.
Up to scratch?
The end result of this process? A boutique hotel design and feel for a functional, clinical space, presenting a peaceful, calming atmosphere to pets, owners, and employees alike.
The main supply early in 2024 meant the doors to open on the completed theatres, waiting rooms, dispensary, dental suite, five consultation rooms and more, within the agreed timeframes, ready for the open day on the 13th July.
The new premises have allowed this local facility to expand its capabilities and capacity, delivering more services to more beloved pets, even drawing special cases from other practices. Since completion of the initial specification, even more equipment has been added, further extending the reach of this independent South West business.
Speaking with the staff on a recent post-supply site visit they love the antique brass front of house hardware with the contrasting black doors. And with detail in mind, matching WC and fire door signage, door stops, and cylinders. You can’t ignore the visual impact this pairing has. Having been in operation since Summer 2024, satisfaction levels of staff and users started high and remain so. We couldn’t be happier.
All bandaged up
Nestled on the edge of Sherborne, a 7th century market town in North Dorset, this veterinary practice had to fit seamlessly into the rural idyll of its ancient surroundings whilst delivering a modern aesthetic and being fit for purpose.
The solution? Subtle yet noticeable hardware designs paired with equally subtle matt finishes. Splitting front of house and back of house added the required distinction to what could easily have been a bog standard, copy/paste project.
Partnering with a client and contractor who values knowledge and experience as much as we do allowed for a hassle free process for all. Excellent 360° communication between all parties is certainly something we’d recommend working towards achieving. The results? See for yourself. These photos from our post-opening site visit truly capture these impactful premises.
These purpose built premises allow the staff to better service pets across Dorset, giving additional comfort and peace of mind to owners as they’ll have less far to travel, and increased care facilities on site, within a comfortable and functional environment.
The expansion of this site continues, as does that of the company so Door Controls Direct are here for on-going support of the master key system, whether it is at the existing Sherborne and Yeovil sites, or future sites to come.
Contact us today to find out more about how our products/services can you [email protected]