Independent Pharmacies/Chemist's

We have two independent chemists in my road, and one on the A road at one end of the village, and another on the newish housing development the other side of the A road. All within a twenty minute brisk walk.

Yes quite a lot in Brighton

We are very fortunate to have an independent Pharmacy in our village which came about a few years ago as the village grew. Previously we had to travel to the nearest small town as we still do for the Dr's Surgery (also excellent), online ordering of meds, to be collected a couple of days later.

We have three here, south west London.

Why would you love to know?
We have one indie pharmacy a short walk away and two in nearby town plus two big name pharmacies.

The next village has one. Small but functional. It also provides part-time pharmacists for the dispensary in our village’s GP surgery.

Oreo

Why would you love to know?
We have one indie pharmacy a short walk away and two in nearby town plus two big name pharmacies.

Because we were discussing this with OH yesterday- we thought about all the one we used to go to, and the one's he used to work with closely- and none of them still exist as Independents- all parts of large chains (as clearly explained in my OP).

It is heart warming to hear some parts of the UK still has some.

There's an independent pharmacy within the local health centre here. In the village where I used to live, there's still an independent one.

In London and several locations we know well in the Midlands, they have all gone ...

That's quite a sweeping statement, and in the case of London an inaccurate one - of the six pharmacies that I can think of near me, 4 are independent and 2 are Boots.

Oreo

Why would you love to know?
We have one indie pharmacy a short walk away and two in nearby town plus two big name pharmacies.

Oreo I read that as Indian and yes we have three near us all independent and run by Patels, Guptas, Sharmas. North West London.

Riverwalk

^In London and several locations we know well in the Midlands, they have all gone^ ...

That's quite a sweeping statement, and in the case of London an inaccurate one - of the six pharmacies that I can think of near me, 4 are independent and 2 are Boots.

Not sweeping, I am talking about all the ones we know and used (a lot of them due to OH's work).

But that's not what you said!

We had the most wonderful family pharmacy when we lived in west London. Everyone I knew roundabout went there, the excellent head honcho was on first name terms with his customers,. We'd been going to him for well over 30 years by the time we moved. Nothing was too much trouble, he'd take blood pressure at the drop of a hat, give great advice for any medical related queries, he was incredibly knowledgeable, we often thought "better than going to the doctor"

Where we live now there is a small Boots opposite the surgery which is mainly a dispensing chemist operated by not terribly helpful staff. They ask people to queue outside the shop, not great when it's really cold, in fact I think one could drop dead whilst waiting which is when I tend to think to myself "God I miss Salim's friendly hands on pharmacy" The difference between an independent family run chemist and a couldn't care less multi national. Thankfully, thus far, at least our surgery seems more than ok though.

I can think of four independents in my town as well as Lloyds, Boots and Superdrug. I’m about to change to one of the independents because Lloyds given us such poor service. We chose it because it’s close to the surgery but they’re so inefficient. They never have the prescriptions ready, it’s always ‘ready in twenty minutes’. That means you have to pay for parking because you only get 15mins free.

Where we used to live we had a brilliant independent. We were on first name terms and they were so helpful. I do miss that.

In Oxford city centre there is only Boots chemist. When the small independent departmental store was still there they also had a pharmacy. When the store closed the pharmacist opened an independent chemist's shop, in a side street within the city. Unfortunately, so far he cannot dispense as he has not been granted a license to dispense. Oxford desperately needs another pharmacy, the queues in Boots are at times extremely long and time consuming.

Riverwalk. well explained in my later post 'we thought about all the one we used to go to, and the one's he used to work with closely- and none of them still exist as Independents-'

Lovely, independent pharmacy just down the road to where I live. Just uses half a shop. We have Boots and Superdrug in the High Street, Most people I know are registered with this little pharmacist. He knows many of us by sight, and if we are not well, a telephone call to them and they deliver to my front door.

Wonderful to hear Franbern. That is how it used to be, and OH could phone through prescriptions and go and sign later. Sadly, in our experience, and in many locations we've lived in, no longer the case.

Two within about three miles, both deliver if required, very friendly and well supported. Another a little further that I’ve only used during covid.

We have a wonderful combined pharmacy and post office in our town . So helpful and friendly , gives good advice and did Covid and flu vaccines far more efficiently than our surgery ! The owner recently retired but it is still good with new managers . Boots three doors down is nowhere near as efficient and is very unhelpful.

When we first came here, six years ago we did. It had now been taken over by a small chain, but the same lovely ,helpful staff.Same opening hours too. Closed for lunch 1-2 and closed Saturday afternoon. Almost the 1950s

We live in a village and still have an independent one, and he is brilliant and will always advise , recently one that has been an part of Lloyds has now gone independent about 4 miles away, it is in the middle of a large housing estate. So perhaps they are making a come back.

I believe that Lloyds are selling at least some of their pharmacies, some, presumably to independents. My late MIL used her local Lloyds and their service was not a patch on what she had had from an independent previously.

They're fairly few and far between around here. We have two chemists in our village, but they're both Lloyds and one or the other has been closed quite often recently because they don't have enough pharmacists to staff all the branches.