Money

Boots to close 60 branches next week and redeploy pharmacists to busier shops


BOOTS has revealed plans to temporarily close 60 stores that have taken a hit due to coronavirus.

The pharmacy chain says it’s made the decision due to a lack of footfall in some stores, particularly those in airports, train stations, and city centres.

 Boots has revealed plans to temporarily close 60 of its quietest stores
Boots has revealed plans to temporarily close 60 of its quietest storesCredit: Alamy

The majority of stores in London will close on April 10, while the rest will close on April 15 – see the box below for the full list.

Pharmacists will be redeployed to busier nearby Boots shops.

It has around 2,400 stores across the UK and says some local community pharmacies are seeing more than double the number of people requiring prescriptions.

Boots adds that it’s looking to redeploy other staff but says some could be sent home.

Which Boots stores are closing?

HERE’S a list of the Boots stores temporarily closing:

Closing on April 10

  • London Canary Whf Cbt Sq
  • London Canary Whf Jubile
  • London Cannon Street
  • London Covent Garden Long Acre
  • London Farringdon Road
  • London Fenchurch Street
  • London High Holborn
  • London Houndsditch
  • London Liverpool St Stn
  • London Monument
  • London Moorgate Hghst
  • London New Bridge St
  • London One New Change SC
  • London 100 Oxford Street
  • London 193 Oxford St
  • London 508-520 Oxford St
  • London Paternoster Sq
  • London Piccadilly
  • London 302 Regent St
  • London Strand temp store
  • London Stratford City
  • London 16 Tottenhm Ct Rd
  • London 211Tottenhm Ct Rd
  • London Victoria Crdnl Pl
  • London WhiteCty SC Ariel

Closing on April 15

  • Aberdeen Airport Airs Dp
  • Ballymena Fairhill Sc
  • Belfast Great Nrthn Mall
  • Birm Airport BS
  • Birm New Street Stn
  • Bristol Cribbs Causeway
  • Caerphilly Castle Court
  • Dartford Bluewater Park
  • Edinburgh 101Princes St
  • Edinburgh Waverly St Stn
  • Gateshead Metro Centre
  • Gatwick South AS lower
  • Glasgow Airport AS
  • Heathrow T2 BS arrivals
  • Heathrow T3 AS
  • Heathrow T3 BS depart
  • Heathrow T4 AS
  • Heathrow T4 BS arrivals
  • Leeds Bradford AS
  • Leeds Trinity
  • Liverpool Lime St Stn
  • London Bridge Station
  • London Charing Cross Stn
  • London Kings Cross Stn x2
  • London Marylebone Stn
  • London Victoria Place
  • Liverpool Clayton Sq Sc
  • Manchester Trafford Ctr
  • Newcastle Airport AS
  • Newcastle Central Stn
  • Newry Buttercrane Sc
  • Newry The Quays Sc
  • Reading Station Ovr Brdg
  • Stockport Peel Sc

It couldn’t tell us the number of staff impacted or if any would be furloughed.

Under the government’s jobs retention scheme workers can claim 80 per cent of their wages, up to £2,500 a month, if they can’t do their jobs.

A spokesperson for Boots said: “We are committed to being there for the people that need us and we will not leave a community without a pharmacy.

“We would like to thank our colleagues for their work and our customers for their support and generosity.”

Just last weekend Boots banned shoppers from browsing in stores.

Shoppers must now say what they intend to buy before coming in.

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If it’s an essential item such as medicine, a staff member will find the product for shoppers so they can go straight to the till to pay.

It comes after the government told Brits to only leave their homes to buy essential food and health items.

Non-essential shops have also been told to close, but this doesn’t apply to Boots given it sells medication and prescriptions.

The chain had been accused of “putting profit before the safety and wellbeing of staff”.

Last summer, it revealed plans to shut up to 200 shops for good.

Use Boots store locator tool to find your nearest.

Londoners queue for rationed hand sanitiser at Oxford Street Boots following second UK coronavirus death





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