‘Crazy blow for towns’ as major high street brand to shut more stores TODAY with 300 at risk

A MAJOR high street brand will pull the plug on two of its stores today - as locals mourn a "huge blow for the local community".

Boots will shut up shop at its Cliftonville and Biggin Hill pharmacies - with 300 more at risk of going the same way in the coming months.

The pharmacy chain's closures have been driven up by a boost in online shoppers with sales on its digital platform surging by a quarter over the latest period.

One Cliftonville local decried the "crazy" decision to close the store, as locals scramble to find other nearby pharmacies.

"Just heard the terrible news that Boots the chemist on Northdown Road in Cliftonville will be closing down," the resident said in a Facebook post.

"Even thought there is will be a Boots in Margate, the Cliftonville branch is much more accessible, parking available right outside, on the bus route and surrounded by a residential area within easy walking distance.

"This is a terrible blow for the local community."

It comes after Boots announced in June last year that it would close 300 shops across the country over the next year.

The move will reduce the popular chain's store portfolio from around 2,200 to just 1,900.

There are currently 2,100 stores across the UK.

In its quarterly results it 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."

The pharmacy chain employs over 52,000 team members and it is expected that these closures will not lead to any redundancies.

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."

Retail sales across Boots jumped by 13.4% in the three months to the end of May, compared to the same period last year.

Previously, Boots closed more than 200 stores over an 18-month period 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.

Retailers have been feeling the pinch since the pandemic while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to soaring inflation.

High energy costs and a shift to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.