Boots confirms closing dates of 7 UK community pharmacies

The health and beauty giant has confirmed the loss of more than 300 stores in a new wave of closures.

Many branches were exed from UK high streets in 2023 and several sites have already closed this year, with more to follow throughout 2024.

Boots first announced plans to cut its portfolio of shops from 2,000 to just 1,900 in June last year, but not all locations were confirmed.

According to Cosmetic Business Insider, the parent company known as Walgreens Boots Alliance commented: “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.”

Now, the pharmacy giant has confirmed the exact closing dates of 12 UK branches, three of which will go before the end of the month.

Boots stores closing in 2024

At least 23 Boots pharmacy sites have been earmarked for closure this year, but only seven of them have confirmed dates.

1. Pemberton, Wigan – January 26
2. Staple Hill, Bristol – January 27
3. Littlehampton, West Sussex – January 29
4. Hough Lane, Leyland, Lancashire – January 2024
5. Clifton, York – February 17
6. East Parade, Heworth, York – March 9
7. Colwyn Bay, Wales – April 6

With a busy weekend of closures ahead, customers affected by the loss of their local Boots pharmacy have taken to X, formerly Twitter, to share their concerns about the impact.

One person linked the loss of the Littlehampton site to the “death of the high street”, adding: “It will be yet another empty shop on a high street already filled with empty shops.”

Another shared a petition to prevent the closure of the Staple Hill pharmacy in Bristol in a bid to “protect elderly and disabled residents”.

A total of 23 sites will close imminently, though the remaining 16 do not have confirmed dates. While some have been allotted a closing period within a specific month many more are left in the lurch with no date to cease trading.