Village pharmacy protest

9:33am Thursday 12th June 2008

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A VILLAGE pharmacy near Winchester is urging residents to fight plans by supermarket giant Tesco to install a dispensary at its Winnall store nearby.

Upset Eric Norgbey, the owner of Kings Worthy's Springvale Pharmacy, has slammed the supermarket's proposals, saying they would threaten his business and deny the community a vital service.

More than 300 customers of the Fraser Road store have signed a petition opposing the new pharmacy at the Easton Lane store.

Mr Norgbey, who only opened his pharmacy last August, said: "We're very unhappy about the fact that Tesco is able to just come in and do what they like. They need to respect the wishes of the community.

"We're worried that this would threaten our business.

"We've seen it (small pharmacies being pushed out of business) happening elsewhere and we're not taking it for granted at all.

"We're asking the community to continue to support what we're doing here."

He said that Tesco was taking advantage of a loophole created by laws governing pharmacies that were introduced three years ago. Prior to 2005, pharmacies were only allowed to open up if they could prove there was a need for them; now, he said, they don't.

He added: "We have invested significant amounts in this place and it would be a shame if this investment will go to waste because of unnecessary pressure from a big company, even if there's no proven need for the service."

Among the services offered by the pharmacy is a free one where customers' prescriptions are collected from surgeries in Winchester and delivered to their homes. It can also check customer's blood pressure and screen them for diabetes.

Cllr Robert Johnston, city councillor for the Kings Worthy ward, said the pharmacy provided an important service for the village's elderly residents.

He said: "Since opening the pharmacy the Norgbeys have made a vital contribution to the health of local residents, in particular the elderly and the vulnerable.

"He is brilliant at what he does and I'm urging residents to support him."

The Hampshire Primary Care Trust confirmed it had received the supermarket's application and that it was currently consulting with the local community.

A spokeswoman for the body said it expects to make a decision at a meeting of its pharmacy applications committee at the end of July.

A spokeswoman for Tesco said: "Obviously a Tesco pharmacy would provide competition and it's up to the customer to decide where they want to shop."