Lloyds Pharmacy are selling 40 of their stores across the UK – which includes the two stores in Budleigh Salterton.  

A poster has appeared in the window of the two stores in Budleigh Salterton to say: ‘this store is going through a change in ownership. Services and opening times will remain as normal.’ 

The two pharmacies are not planned to be physically closed by Lloyds, but transferred to another company. The new business taking over will have to apply for a new NHS dispensing licence.

Lloyds Pharmacy has been struggling to fulfill prescriptions over the past few months in Budleigh. Verbal abuse from customers has been cited as a contributing factor to three managers leaving a store in Budleigh over two months. Stores haven’t been able to open every day because there’s a national shortage of qualified staff and locum pharmacists and dispensers are not always available to make up the shortfall. Both stores have been operating with restricted hours or with one pharmacy in the town open at one time. 

The Patients Participants Group of Budleigh, who have been campaigning for a better service from the two Lloyds shops in the town over the past few months say that this is a ‘good opportunity for us to now have two independent pharmacies in our High Street and the PPG are active in getting the NHS to consider this option.’ 

A spokesman for Lloyds Pharmacy UK said: “LloydsPharmacy regularly reviews its pharmacy estate to ensure it is operating sustainably and any decision to sell stores is taken in the interests of patients, colleagues and the business.

“At all times, patient safety remains our top priority ensuring that our customers and patients are always able to access vital prescriptions, health advice, products and services.”

 Sue Lake, chairman of the PPG in Budleigh said: “We are hoping that the NHS will take the opportunity to have two separate operators in Budleigh so as to not have the monopoly situation we currently have with Lloyds. Our MP, Simon Jupp, is also following this up with his NHS contacts.”