Battle of the 100-hour pharmacies takes shape

Boots - coming soon to Bradley Stoke

Bradley Stoke could soon have no less than three late-night, seven-days-a-week, pharmacies after a rush of planning and licensing applications in the last couple of months.

Boots, due to open soon at the Willow Brook Centre, became the first to reveal its hand when it submitted a planning application that included references to a “midnight pharmacy” at its new store.

Bradley Stoke Surgery then entered the race when it submitted a planning application to change the use of part of its newly-extended premises from “clinical space” to “a 100-hour opening pharmacy” and The Journal has since learned that a third licensing application for a 100-hour pharmacy in the area is being processed by the local health authority.

Following a part-liberalisation of licensing rules in 2005,  a pharmacy becomes exempt from having to prove that it is “necessary and expedient” if it opens for more than 100 hours a week.

When asked about the possible opening of new pharmacies in the town, NHS South Gloucestershire told The Journal:

The Boots pharmacy at Willow Brook has been approved as a 100-hour pharmacy. There are two further applications for 100- hour pharmacies pending under the exempt rules in the vicinity of Bradley Stoke Surgery.

The Journal requested a statement from Bradley Stoke Surgery but received no acknowledgement.

We also contacted the existing Lloyds pharmacy, across the road from the surgery, near the Aldi supermarket. They promised to get back to us but never did.

Will Lloyds move into Bradley Stoke Surgery or set up in 100-hour competition with whoever does? Who is the mysterious third applicant for a 100-hour licence? Can Bradley Stoke sustain three 100-hour pharmacies? Watch this space.

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11 comments

  1. Crazy! What we need in this town is more GPs rather than more pharmacies. Perhaps then we’ll actually be able to get to see a doctor when we need one and we’ll actually have some prescriptions to take to a pharmacy.

  2. So these 3 new pharmacies, plus Lloyds and Tesco? Wow. Agree with Jonjo about needing more GPs. I have to plan my annual cold and book ahead at GP. Feel sorry for the people who get unplanned illnesses and need an appointment on the day.

  3. Bintmink, If people like you didn’t insist on going to see their doctor because they have a cold the people who are actually ill wouldn’t have a problem getting an appointment.

  4. Well said Geoff3! I bet more than 50% of people waiting in GP surgeries over the winter period are because of cold/flu symptoms!

  5. I was just being obnoxious with the cold comment and I agree with not
    wasting time, I was suggesting that it can be difficult to get an appointment at short notice. Usually the experience is not helped by the receptionist acting shocked at your request for an appointment at short notice.

  6. I hope Lloyds Pharmacy can gety their act together now and start providing a better services to their customers. I am very dissatisfied with their services and their staff as some times I end up going to their pharmacy 3-4 times to collect my prescription. At least they should bother to inform their customers that during lunch hour no prescriptions will be done by the pharmacist as that would save people a trip from their offices during this time.
    Their level of service is appalling and it is strange that in this country we cannot do anything about such basic services.

  7. Dear Moaner, you are spot on, but just one customer leaving will not make any difference to these sort of establishments.

  8. So, just how many folks start speed dialling at 08:30 on days they need appointments just to get to see a nurse on the day itself?

    My fingers are getting really fast at the redial-on-engaged now 🙂

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