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Boots to Close 300 Local Pharmacies Across the UK

In the News

When I read this headline, I thought they must be in financial difficulties, but it appears their profits are up. On reading it appears this is going to affect local pharmacies.

Where I live, a small market town, we have a small Boots, which is our only pharmacist. I hope it doesnt close down.

metro.co.uk/2023/06/27/boots-to-close-300-stores-across-the-uk-19025192/?ico=top-stories_news_top

beccatavender
a year ago
What do you think of this?+20 points
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DeBunny

We have one connected to our doctors surgery and one in the main town, but we don't have much else in the town now, everything seems to be closing, but prices of housing are still rocketing. I hope they don't close here, as this is the only way some of the local residents can get their prescriptions or see a pharmacist. We need pharmacists and need to encourage people to use them more as doctors and nurses are all under so much pressure and most skin concerns or some other concerns can be advised by a pharmacist or at least help them. We'd have to travel to find a pharmacist and not everyone has access to them. They have already reduced their opening hours on Saturdays and are now closed on Sundays.

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beccatavender

DeBunny Our Boots isn't open on Sundays, it's a very small store. The nearest alternative is 8 miles away, I don't drive so it will very inconvenient if it closes.

Where I live it seems to be mostly hairdressers and off licenses.

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DeBunny

beccatavender Oh we have hairdressers, Turkish barbers and pubs, sounds like it is similar elsewhere.

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didbygraham

Our local Boots pharmacy closed a couple of years ago, and was taken over by another company. Was a shambles to begin with but they have settled down and if anything are better run now than Boots was. Surprised anyone took them over as there is an Asda pharmacy less than 4 shops away! Both seem to be able to survive though.

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beccatavender

didbygraham I hope of our one closes, another one takes its place as it's basically it's just a chemist with a few toiletries.

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snoogans888

I’ll be very disappointed if our local Boots store closes as I use the pharmacy as it’s conveniently located to me.

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kikogpe
Mentor

They have 4 or 5 stores on Oxford Street, so probably one or two will be on that list.

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MelissaLee1

Guess online reductions have slaughtered the cost of running a business on the high street.Sad but true.

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stuartsmith544

It feels odd that in this time of ideas of reinvigorating the high street that staple companies on the high street are leaving it .With that happening does it give the high street any hope or chance of bringing life to it .

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beccatavender

stuartsmith544 I know some of the independent shops where I live have not been able to afford hikes in the business rates, it's a vicious circle.

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SaveMeSunday

Ah it’s such a shame. But online sales have taken over and local shops are suffering

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TiaTia

It's such a shame to see all these big named stores ddisappearing off our high street.

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BonzoBanana

It could be for the whole group profits are up but for many smaller stores they are loss making. It's no surprise that smaller towns have smaller stores as footfall is less but many costs don't scale like business rates, rent etc to the same level. I imagine Boots unlike convenience stores does have the same prices even in its smaller stores to its large stores so such stores are more vulnerable as less profitable. Boots is a US owned retailer nowadays so is less likely to make choices for communities it's much more likely they will just focus on the bottom line i.e. profits. It will be looking to maximise profits in order to pay for the huge investment in buying Boots. I have to say I have hardly ever used Boots myself. I went in earlier this year and bought a small thing and I reckon the last time I bought from them was perhaps 20 or 30 years ago. Definitely not their best customer.

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Midnightflower

We have quite a few boots pharmacy's locally so I imagine they will close 1 or 2 as they're quite close together. I find it hard to imagine what the high street will look like in the future with so many companies closing physical stores.

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Mango4

The Boots in our local town is definitely in demand it always has a long queue at the pharmacy counter, mind you there's also a queue at the normal checkouts as there is only ever one maybe two members of staff on the tills , keeping customers waiting when they are ready to hand over money doesn't help any shop I don't think.

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Debs57

I hope our local boots won't close. Although we have other pharmacists Boots is vital to so many people especially the elderly, disabled. Plus they have lovely products

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sallylester1

Sad in many ways really, so many people will lose their jobs 😔. Plus the public will miss being able to go to these stores all so wrong

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Deansmum

I think at least 1 of ours in Thanet will close. The Broadstairs one is on a street with another 3 pharmacies. Also their lease has run out on the shop. It was run down when I left there 16 years ago and from what I've been told it hasn't changed since. We have another 3 within 5 miles plus Asda and Tesco pharmacies too so their patients will have plenty of choice to go to.

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beccatavender

Deansmum I think of there are other options it's does make sense to close a unprofitable location but it's worrying if there is only one pharmacy in town.

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