In Business

Follow this topic

Bookmark

Record learning outcomes

The last branch of Whitworths Chemist has been sold two and a half years after the 34-strong estate was put up for sale in its entirety.  

Located on Broom Lane in Rotherham, the final branch has been sold to Broomlane Pharma Limited. 

When the sale of the estate was announced in November 2023, the family-owned chain comprised 34 branches stretching across the North of England in locations including Blackpool, Skegness and Newcastle. 

According to property broker Christie & Co, dispensing volumes ranged from 3,000 to 22,000 items a month with the average store dispensing roughly 8,500 items.

Former owner John Whitworth, who plans to retire, first started a wholesaling business in 1967 before establishing a pharmacy chain in 1999. 

In its most recent accounts, which cover the 12 months to March 27, 2024, Whitworths’ former directors said shareholders had taken the “difficult decision” to sell amid a challenging year that saw turnover fall by seven per cent and a loss for the company of £3.3m.

Jon Booth, pharmacy director with Christie & Co, said: “It is very satisfying to get the final sale over the line for the family and directors of Whitworths Pharmacies.

“Having first marketed the full portfolio of trading sites in November 2023, it has been a journey to get to this point, we have found new homes for a very varied group of pharmacy businesses serving many different communities across a wide area of Northern England and with the full range of dispensing volumes and trading characteristics.

“We wish the retiring owners the very best and all of the new owners the very greatest success in their acquisitions.” 

The Whitworths portfolio was sold for an undisclosed price.