Boots to close store doors in weeks in pharmacy double whammy leaving households at risk of losing prescription access

BOOTS is about to close store doors in weeks in a pharmacy double whammy leaving families at risk of losing access to prescriptions.

The health, beauty and chemist giant Boots has revealed it’s shutting down a major branch in Eastleigh, Hampshire.

The move, bringing an end to the popular store there on November 17, follows a series of closures across the UK.

And it adds to misery for locals, coming after rival Lloyds Pharmacy axed its store in a Sainsbury’s supermarket opposite as part of similar nationwide cutbacks.

Boots said the latest shutdown was part of previously-announced plans to reduce their outlets from 2,200 to 1,900.

People needing to collect prescriptions are being pointed towards the firm’s branch in the nearby Swan Centre shopping mall.

But concerns have been raised staff there could struggle to cope with increased demand after the loss of two nearby stores, according to the .

One local posted on Facebook: “Only one left is in the Swan Centre which means queues will be horrendous – will struggle to get prescriptions and they will be over-worked.”

Another wrote: “Swan Centre Boots is now the ONLY pharmacy in central Eastleigh servicing thousands of people.

“The number of people using Boots doubled when Lloyds dissolved their partnership with Sainsbury’s – it’s no wonder Boots are in chaos now.”

Boots did not initially reveal which particular stores would be shut when first announcing the cutbacks, though those in danger have since been added to a list.

A quarterly results report published this summer said: “Over the next year Boots will continue to consolidate a number of stores in close proximity to each other.

“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.”

James Kehoe, global chief financial officer at Boots’ parent firm Walgreens Boots Alliance, told analysts they were also closing 150 stores in the United States.

The company previously shut more than 200 stores during an 18-month period beginning in 2019.

An the following year Boots revealed 48 opticians would go, with the loss of 4,000 jobs.

The latest closure comes as other well-known high street chains have been shutting down outlets.

Wilko announced in August it was going into administration, with its stores across the country closing.

Its collapse was the biggest for a British retail firm since McColl’s went bust in May last year, though the cornershop chain was saved from closure after Morrisons stepped in to protect 16,000 jobs.

Paperchase went into administration in January this year, in a move which saw all its 106 stores closing for good.

Paperchase’s brand name and intellectual property were, however, bought by Tesco.

Wellies retailer Joules and Scottish clothing brand M&Co went bust last year.

The M&Co brand name was snapped up by Yours Clothing but the shops didn’t survive.