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A local pharmacy group based in Bristol is set to fill the void left by the closure of two Jhoots pharmacies in Portishead by opening branches in the town.

Magna Pharmacy Group, which has 16 pharmacies in the South-West, opened a branch at the entrance of Waitrose and is due to open another one in Portishead Health Centre in the coming weeks.

Both sites saw Jhoots pharmacies close last year after staff and suppliers reportedly went unpaid and the branches closed with little notice.

The Magna Pharmacy at Waitrose was officially opened yesterday by the Labour MP Sadik Al-Hassan who, according to his office, “surveyed residents to understand the scale of the issues with local Jhoots pharmacies”.

Four per cent of respondents reported issues with stock and medicines availability, 82 per cent reported that branches closed during “purported” opening hours and 28 per cent said they “experienced issues accessing a pharmacist at the stores for expert advice”.

Al-Hassan said it has “been a difficult time for pharmacy provision in Portishead”, with many residents forced to travel out of the town “to collect vital medications”.

Dr Ramesh Yadav, a director of Magna Pharmacy Group, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be opening Magna Pharmacy in Waitrose, Portishead and becoming part of the local community.

“As community pharmacists, patient care is at the heart of everything we do. Our goal is to create a welcoming place where residents can easily access advice, treatment and healthcare services close to home.

“We look forward to working closely with local GP practices and supporting the health and wellbeing of people in Portishead for many years to come.”