Administrators appointed at pharmacy chain
FAMILY-owned pharmacy chain David Stearne Ltd, which operates 13 chemists shops in the region, has been placed into administration.
The Runcorn-based business, which opened its first shop on Chorlton Road, Hulme, Manchester, has a turnover of £9.2m in the year to the end of April 2011.
It has several branches in Runcorn and also in Leyland, Halton Brook, Sandbach, Widnes, Northwich, Middlewich, Ellesmere Port and Warrington.
David Stearne Ltd, which has more than 60 staff, made a loss of £310,000 in the same period.
Current MD David Strearne is the second generation to run a pharmacy business – his father Bill- who opened the Hulme shop as TW Stearne Chemists – had come from a family of Master Coopers based in Ancoats.
Alan Coleman of Salford-based accoutancy firm Royce Peeling Green is handling the insolvency as joint administrator along with Kenneth Touhey of Chantry Vellacott.
