Cosham Boots pharmacy closes amid company-wide "consolidation" which will see 300 stores shut across UK

Boots Pharmacy in High Street, Cosham shut up shop on Saturday, October 21 leading some local people to bemoan the loss of the high street fixture on social media.

A sign in the window states “we are are closed” and directs customers to the nearest open branch – in Portsmouth’s Commercial Road. It also directs people to Boots pharmacies in West Street, Havant and London Road, Waterlooville. There are now two remaining pharmacies on Cosham high street – Everetts Pharmacy and Layl’s Pharmacy.

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Construction workers were on site this morning and scaffolding has been erected across the shopfront.

When approached for comment, a Boots spokesperson would not confirm whether or not the store was closed. They highlighted the chain’s ongoing “consolidation” program which will see the closure of 300 of the pharmacies across the UK this year and explained that, in such cases, efforts would be made to transfer staff from defunct branches to other Boots locations. The chain would not comment on the reason for the closure of its Cosham branch.

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A statement from Boots’ 2023 June quarterly update said: “In addition to uplifting existing stores, 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.”