Boots to close stores where footfall has dramatically decreased

Four North West stores have been earmarked for closure later this month by pharmacy chain Boots.

The group said it will redeploy staff from the stores to busier sites.

It said most of the 35 stores facing closure from April 15, are at airports, railway stations, or retail parks, which have seen a dramatic loss in footfall due to the social-distancing measures introduced by the Government in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Twenty five stores around London will close from April 10.

The North West stores that will bring down the shutters are at Manchester Trafford Centre, Liverpool Clayton Square, Liverpool Lime Street rail station, and Stockport Peel shopping centre.

Boots currently has more than 2,400 branches around the UK.

A company spokesperson said: “We need to make sure that we have enough colleagues playing their vital role where it’s currently most needed and that we can send home those colleagues who are working in stores that are not busy.

“To achieve this, we are temporarily closing a small number of stores that are very quiet at this time.”

They added: “All over the country we are working tirelessly to support the NHS and provide our customers with the advice, healthcare, medicine and products that they need.

“We are committed to being there for the people that need us and we will not leave a community without a pharmacy.

“We would like to thank our colleagues for their work and our customers for their support and generosity.”