Sadness as Boots Pharmacy in Fortuneswell, Portland closes

Boots Pharmacy in Fortuneswell has dispensed its last prescription and closed permanently.

Previously it was stated that the pharmacy would close on Saturday, February 17 but in fact it shut on Friday, February 16.

The pharmacy has a history of more than 100 years in Fortuneswell and has been described as a “local institution”.

This also means that the only pharmacy left on the island of 14,000 residents is the Boots Pharmacy in Easton.

The sign on the door annoucning the closure (Image: Cristiano Magaglio)

Residents have reacted with sadness at the closure.

Underhill resident Martina Brickwell will miss the staff at Fortuneswell and is worried that the Boots in Easton will struggle to keep up.

She said: "It is really sad. The staff there were lovely.

"It has been my pharmacy for the last eight years and I will absolutely miss it, it is such a shame.

"The pharmacy in Easton struggles at the best of times. It is going to be a struggle for everyone, particularly the elderly."

Read more: March up Portland in protest at the closure of Boots pharmacy

Nigel Dewland has been a resident of Underhill his entire life. He has resorted to using an online pharmacy instead of the busy Tophill Boots Pharmacy.

He said: "I couldn't stand up there for 30 minutes waiting for my prescription, so I do mine online.

"We have always had a chemist here and now it's gone which is sad. It should never have gone. I mean the amount of things that have closed on this street (Fortuneswell), it is just dying."

Some in the community have voiced concerns that the Easton Pharmacy will not be able to cope with the extra demand and that it poses geographic obstacles for some residents.

One resident said: "It is an absolute pain, to be honest. I had to get my prescriptions from Tophill, and now I am told I have a ten-day wait to get my prescriptions there."

Another said: "We need two pharmacies on the island because of its geography. We need a pharmacy here again.

Read more: Portland Mayor urges Boots to reconsider reported closure

In a previous statement to the Echo, Portland Mayor Cllr Carralyn Parkes said: "I was in the Fortuneswell pharmacy earlier this week and it was so sad to see all the medicine and the bits and pieces being packed away.

"I am bitterly disappointed.

"This is not the end of pharmacies in Underhill. It will take a lot of work behind the scenes but we will do everything we can."

Boots has been asked for comment.