Residents in Southmead, Henleaze and Horfield, living near the Boots local pharmacy on Southmead Road, are campaigning to save this branch which has been listed for closure in January 2024.
They have set up an online petition on Change.org and it can be found HERE
They ask that people sign the petition, noting that it will lead to longer queues at other local pharmacies.
The Boots Branch is located in Southmead at the bottom of Southmead Road, where the Southmead, Horfield and Henleaze voting wards meet. Southmead Councillor Brenda Massey said: “I would be very sorry to see the pharmacy close. Many of the residents who use it may well not have any means of transport to a different site. They will now be extremely concerned about how they can collect potentially life-saving medicines without an accessible chemist close to them.
I do hope that Boots will reconsider their decision and potentially hold a public meeting where they can listen to the public comments”.
Residents are unhappy that the local community has not been consulted about this closure and the news has come as a real blow to them.
The Branch serves a wide residential community across several neighbourhoods in North Bristol, and is always full of customers, particularly accessing the pharmacy for both prescription medicines and advice, as well as buying the retail staples ranging from shampoo to vitamins.
The Branch is particularly important for those in the local community who have no means of transport and a significant proportion of the customers walk to the Branch as it is surrounded by residential streets.
The staff at the branch know many patients by name, know their circumstances, and also provide support for some of the more vulnerable in the community.
Customers are being sign-posted up to the Henleaze Branch, but this is not within a walkable distance, has little or no available parking, and is already very busy with long queues.
Given both Boots branches are always busy, there is clearly no capacity for customers from the Southmead Road Branch to be accommodated by the Henleaze Road Branch. The sign over the Southmead Branch shop describes it as ‘our local Boots pharmacy’, and residents say it is exactly that.
Residents are also concerned that they are repeatedly advised that patients should be seeking advice from their local pharmacy rather than always going straight to their GP. Removing this pharmacy will remove this option for a large number of local residents. Without this pharmacy, timely advice and access to everyday remedies, as well as advice for those with complex medicine regimes, will be lost.
They are calling on Boots to rethink their plans and keep this Boots local pharmacy open.
Please help to save our local Boots by signing the petition HERE
