27 February 2023 , 15:01
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Lloyds Pharmacy is reportedly selling off a number of its standalone stores across the UK.
The industry magazine Pharmacy Network News first reported the news earlier this month, saying it had seen emails discussing the sale with prospective buyers.
The emails involve the company Hutchings Consultants which specialises in pharmacy sales and valuation.
The stores are said to be sold under three projects – Project Clover, Project Mulberry and Project Sapphire – with each managing a different geographical region in the UK.
Several LloydsPharmacy branches have been sold in the last few months with two stores in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, sold to independent chain Porter Pharmacy earlier this month.
Blow for Sainsbury's shoppers as key service disappears from 237 stores
Another Lloyds Pharmacy store in Chingford, North London, was sold to Rosewood Pharmacy late last year.
In the emails seen by Pharmacy Network News, Lloyds Pharmacy branches in England are reportedly up for sale in:
- Bedfordshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Cumbria
- Devon
- Dorset
- East London
- Hampshire
- Hertfordshire
- Kent
- Lancashire
- North Lincolnshire
- Merseyside
- Staffordshire
- Somerset
- East and West Sussex
- Tyne and Wear
- Wiltshire
- North Yorkshire
- Northumberland
- County Durham
- East Riding of Yorkshire
- West Yorkshire
- South Yorkshire
- Greater Manchester
- Merseyside
- Cheshire
- Devon
- Cornwall
- Dorset
- Wiltshire
- Somerset
In Wales, these branches have reportedly been put up for sale:
- Pembrokeshire
- Glamorgan (Mid & Vale)
- Blaenau Gwent
- Dyfed
A spokesperson for Lloyds Pharmacy did not confirm or deny if stores were being put up for sale.
They said: “Lloyds Pharmacy 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.”
The news comes as the pharmacy retailer revealed it would close all of its 237 outlets inside Sainsbury’s over the course of the year.
The cuts were made following a recent strategic review and blamed “changing market conditions”.
At the time of the announcement, Kevin Birch, chief executive officer of LloydsPharmacy, said: “This decision has not been an easy one and we understand that our patients and customers may have questions about how the change will affect them
“We would like to thank them for their continued support and assure them that we are committed to providing a smooth transition over the coming months.
Lloyds Pharmacy 'puts all 1,300 branches at risk of closure' in high street blow
Mirror Money has contacted Hutchings Consultants for comment on this story.