Exclusive:University of Lancashire issues apology and pays damages to millionaire owner of VetPlus David Haythornthwaite
Bosses at the University of Lancashire has issued a public apology and offered to pay £32,000 compensation after a staff member wrongly accused a Lancashire businessman of racism.
Millionaire businessman David Haythornthwaite, Chairman and owner of VetPlus, the global leader in veterinary nutraceuticals, has been awarded damages and accepted an apology from the university’s School of Veterinary Medicine after legal proceedings were sparked following the sending of a defamatory email.
Mr Haythornthwaite, who is also the chairman of AFC Fylde, said he was forced to take legal action after withdrawing from the position of main sponsor at the school's official opening in June last year.
Mr Haythornthwaite, who said the university ‘had picked on the wrong person’ had a particular interest in the new school as it is located only 12 miles from his family business VetPlus in Lytham.
He said as soon as the idea for the school had become public, he was approached by the university about collaborating in various ways once it was open.
VetPlus agreed to pay £17,500 to be headline sponsor of the opening event, but Mr Haythornthwaite said he later withdrew the offer when he discovered that one of the three dignitaries invited to open the event was Mr Navaratnam Partheeban, a well known Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) activist and co-founder of The British Veterinary Ethnicity & Diversity Society.
A spokesman for VetPlus said: “Mr Haythornthwaite wrote to Peter Holland, the Associate Dean, expressing his views that this was not what the University should be focussed on but rather on it being a centre of excellence for veterinary students.
“Being a proud Lancastrian, he was excited about Lancashire getting its own Vet School and the opportunities to work together, until he became aware that their main focus appeared to be on DEI, which was crystalised in Mr Holland’s reply to him on the subject matter.
“Upon discovering that, Mr Haythornthwaite had withdrawn his support for the opening event, Dr Heather Bacon the Dean of Veterinary Medicine, wrote directly to him, chastising him for his views and subsequently circulated an email to work colleagues accusing him of being a racist.
“This story became public knowledge in some sectors of the veterinary fraternity and as a result, some veterinarians and academics refused to work with VetPlus.
“This caused huge embarrassment to VetPlus and its employees and as a result, Mr Haythornthwaite decided to sue the University for defamation.
“The result was a complete climb down from the University who not only offered a full and unreserved apology, but also paid his full legal costs and compensation of £32,000 which Mr Haythornthwaite has donated to his chosen charity, Dogs For Good.”
What has the University of Lancashire said?
In their statement, The University of Lancashire said: “On 10th June 2025, Dr Heather Bacon sent an email to a small number of individuals involved in the opening event of the University of Lancashire's School of Veterinary Medicine. That email contained accusations of racism against David Haythornthwaite. Those accusations were wrong and unfounded.
“Dr Bacon now accepts that Mr Haythornthwaite's expression of his views regarding the University of Lancashire's School of Veterinary Medicine's efforts to promote diversity within the veterinary profession were not racist. She further accepts, without reservation, that the allegation that Mr Haythornthwaite was unwilling to sponsor the event because a person of colour was speaking at it was entirely untrue.
“Dr Bacon and the University of Lancashire wish to take this opportunity to issue a sincere and unreserved apology to Mr Haythornthwaite for the indignity and embarrassment caused to his personal and professional reputation by the email.
“As an expression of their sincere regret for the harm caused, Dr Bacon and the University have agreed to pay a substantial sum by way of compensation to a charity of Mr Haythornthwaite's choosing, and to pay Mr Haythornthwaite's legal costs.”
Reaction to the legal proceedings
Commenting on the outcome, Mr Haythornthwaite said: “It’s really sad that so many institutions have been taken over by a fanatical minority intent on imposing their views on the majority, and then when anyone questions that view they are vilified, pigeon-holed and put into whichever derogatory box suits their agenda, which in this case was that of being a racist.
“In the majority of these cases the accused are either too frightened or do not have the resources to fight back.
“This time they picked on the wrong person.”