MAJOR health retailer Boots has announced it will close at least four of its branches in a single city – and shoppers are raging over it.
The four stores are due to close in Plymouth and residents say alternative pharmacies are up to a mile away.
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So far, plans to axe the branches in Chard Road, Mannamead Road, Mudge Way, and Claremont Street are in motion, according to a source.
Boots said that they were merging “several stores near each other”, and that affected employees had been offered “alternative roles”, it has been reported.
A spokesperson for Boots previously issued a statement saying: “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.
“It will help with our ambition of consistently delivering excellent and reliable service in a fresh and up-to-date environment.”
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But residents of Plymouth are outraged over the plans to axe four significant branches in the city.
Reaching out to the city’s local newspaper Plymouth Herald, shoppers have expressed their anger.
“It is a mess they are closing the store, it has been our chemist for many years.
“My parents used it and most of the people I know use it.
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“It’s right behind the North Road West doctors and the handiest chemist for us living this side of Stonehouse and Millbridge,” said one shopper on the closure of Boots Claremont Street.
Another user wrote: “It’s a bad decision that Boots has taken, one of the reasons being the health of the residents.
“You read about Boots closing chemists around Britain but I never thought they would close this one, seeing it’s always busy.”
A final shopper expressed: “We are disgusted that such an efficient branch at the heart of our community, run by a caring helpful team, is to be closed.
“Shame on you Boots.”
The Sun has approached Boots for a comment on the closures in Plymouth.
It comes after Boots announced it will close around 300 stores across the country over the next year – reducing the popular chain’s store portfolio from around 2,200 to just 1,900.
James Kehoe, global chief financial officer at Boots parent company, Walgreens Boots Alliance, told analysts yesterday: “We will continue to optimise our locations and opening hours, and expect to close an additional 300 locations in the UK and 150 locations in the US.”
The pharmacy chain employs over 52,000 team members and it is expected that these closures will not lead to any redundancies.
The stores that have closed in 2023 are as follows:
- Salford Shopping Centre, Greater Manchester
- Church Street, Malvern
- The Port Arcades Shopping Centre, Ellesmere
- King William Street, London
Boots said in all cases there is an alternative store less than three miles away.
Previously, Boots closed more than 200 stores over 18 months starting in 2019.
Many of the closures were because they were loss-making and two-thirds of them were within walking distance of each other, the chain said.
In 2020, Boots announced 48 opticians were closing with the loss of 4,000 jobs.
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Several well-known retailers including Argos and Lloyds Pharmacy closed their stores earlier this year.
Shops aren’t the only ones affected, major burger chain Byron Burger also fell into administration and closed nine restaurants immediately.
