Boots to shut ‘great’ pharmacy loved by locals in final spate of closures

Boots to shut ‘great’ pharmacy loved by locals in final spate of closures (Image: Getty)

Boots, the UK’s leading health and beauty retailer, will close another pharmacy soon.

Last year, the company confirmed the loss of 300 UK stores with a timeline stretching to the end of 2024.

Since the start of this year, widespread closures have taken place, with 33 branches axed between July and September alone.

While the closures have been positive for business, the story isn’t the same for customers who have lost their local pharmacy.

Residents in Croydon are among those who the Boots store will impact at 1 Central Parade in New Addington, which is earmarked for closure in December.

Boots earmarked hundreds of stores for closure where this is an existing store nearby (Image: Getty)

According to a local news report by Your Local Guardian, the branch’s last day of operation will be on December 7, 2024.

It could be one of the last pharmacies that were earmarked for closure to cease trading, as the majority have already shut.

A spokesperson for Walgreens Boots Alliance previously said: “Evolving the store estate in this way allows Boots to concentrate its team members where they are needed and focus investment more acutely in individual stores with the ambition of consistently delivering an excellent and reliable service in a fresh and up-to-date environment.”

The branch has glowing reviews on Google, including one that reads: “For a very small branch, the staff provide a greater service than many realise… they do their upmost to care for the local community.”

Another customer chimed: “Great little place”, though criticised the long waiting times, which other pharmacy users noted as an issue.

Since 2023, Boots has shut around 290 shops to reduce its store estate from 2,200 to 1,900 sites.

When the New Addington branch closes in December, the closest Boots store will be the pharmacy at The Whitgift Centre, a 15-minute drive away.

South West England has felt the harsh effects in the UK with four closures in Pool, Camborne, Redruth, and St Blazey. Plymouth has also lost four outlets; Teignbridge and Swindon bid adieu to one each.

The closures were announced in a bid to save the health and beauty giant a whopping £618million.

According to Nick Drewe, retail expert and founder of the online e-commerce platform Wethrift, it’s not uncommon in the retail sector right now.

He told Express.co.uk: “The combined effects of COVID-19 and Brexit have placed significant strain on the UK retail sector, with many major brands either entering administration or reassessing their business and marketing strategies. Like Boots, numerous companies have resorted to store closures as a means of staying afloat.”

Nick continued: “While inflation has reached its lowest level in over two years, both businesses and consumers continue to feel the residual effects of these economic challenges, which are being experienced not only in the UK but globally.”