Concern over third chemist

Concerns have been raised that Southwell could not support another pharmacy.

Members of Southwell Town Council were asked for their views on the possibility of a new pharmacy in the town.

An application has been submitted to Nottinghamshire Teaching Primary Care Trust by Mr Dharminder Singh, who has a pharmacy in Keyworth, for permission to set up another in Southwell.

A town councillor, Mr John Robinson, said: “This is an entrepreneur, someone who thinks they can make a shop out it. I don’t see what we can say if someone makes a profit.”

Mr Andy Gregory, another councillor, said: “The question is: does Southwell need another pharmacy?”

Mr Peter Pay said Southwell had two pharmacies — Lloyds Pharmacy on King Street that dealt with prescriptions for people living in town, and a pharmacy at the medical centre on The Ropewalk that dealt with prescriptions for patients who lived outside the town.

He said: “I presume the doctors’ surgery derives an income from that which helps with the viability of the practice. Anything which detracts from the viability of our current doctors’ practice I would have questions about.”

Mr Brendan Haigh said the council also needed to consider the viability of Lloyds Pharmacy.

He said: “If a new pharmacy undermined the viability of their pharmacy and they decided to close we may be left with this pharmacy that has come in about which we know little or nothing.

“In some places this has happened and they have no pharmacy left.”

Mr Gregory said he did not think that the council had enough information to make a decision.

He said: “This is something I would like to see deferred, if possible, for us to investigate a little more.”

The council agreed to defer making a decision until the next full council meeting.