Locals React to the Closure
Boots, the popular pharmacy chain, is set to close its shop in Northdown Road, Margate, Kent on January 20. This comes as part of Boots' plan to shut down 300 stores over the next year, following a series of closures already in 2023. The news of the closure has sparked a reaction from locals in Kent, who took to Facebook to express their thoughts.
Expensive Prices and Lack of Appeal
According to comments on social media, many locals are not surprised by the closure. One person stated, "Surprised Boots has managed to last this long tbh. Haven't been in one for years." Another added, "Pharmacy aside though, Boots is too expensive. It's done what many others did before it and priced itself out of its own market, and is having to reduce as a result. The things they sell are cheaper pretty much everywhere else!"
Boots' Store Consolidation Program
Boots has confirmed that three stores closed in spring 2023, with an additional 300 stores set to close in the coming year. The closures are part of Boots' store consolidation program, which was previously announced. The company has exclusively revealed to HOAR the exact locations of eight stores that have been confirmed for closure. However, Boots assures that all team members from these stores will be offered alternative roles.
Locations of Store Closures
Here is the full list of stores closing by the end of the year:
- Windhill Road, Wakefield – October 6
- Upper Warrengate, Wakefield – October 7
- Glastonbury – October 13
- Uppingham Road, Leicester – October 13
- Guildford Road, Woking – end of October
- Kings Square, York – October 28
- Warminster – October 28
- Gorleston, Great Yarmouth – November
- High Row, Darlington – November 3
- Mudge Way, Plymouth – November 18
- Mount Pleasant, Exeter – November 18
- Front Street, Prudhoe – no date
The stores that have already closed in 2023 are:
- Salford Shopping Centre, Greater Manchester – February 2023
- Church Street, Malvern – March 11
- The Port Arcades Shopping Centre, Ellesmere – March 11
- King William Street, London – June 2
- Heathside Road, Woking – end of July
- UEA campus – end of July
- Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff – August 1
- Holywell, Flintshire (Wales) – August 26
Boots has assured that in all cases, there is an alternative store less than three miles away. Affected team members have been offered opportunities in other stores in the local area. Over the past 18 months, Boots has closed more than 200 stores, which accounted for approximately eight percent of its high street branches. Many of these closures were due to the stores being loss-making and the majority of them were located within walking distance of each other. In 2020, Boots also announced the closure of 48 opticians, resulting in the loss of 4,000 jobs.
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