Boots store in Kirkby set to close

A customer who was in the store this week, contacted your Chad to say that there was a notice on the counter at the back of the store saying it would close but did not say when.

Boots recently announced plans to close up to 300 stores nationwide, citing poor trading conditions as one of the main reasons.

Earlier this year, the US-owners of the Nottinghamshire-based pharmacy chain told the BBC the move was part of a ‘transformation plan’ and that it had seen a surge in people shopping online and choosing own-brand labels as customers looked to save money.

Despite this, the company, which employs more than 52,000 people across the UK, announced back in July that retail sales had risen by 13.4 per cent.

But the company confirmed the closure programme would still go ahead.

A spokesperson 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."

But the decision to shut the Kirkby branch, as well as others, is likely to cause dismay for many local communities who rely on their local Boots store for cosmetics and over-the-counter medicinces, as well as prescriptions and pharmacy services.

A Boots spokesperson said the company did not comment on individual stores but said any planned closures were part of its consolidation programme.