Day Lewis snaps up three pharmacies in southwest

The pharmacy group Day Lewis has bought a group of three pharmacies in the southwest of England which collectively dispense 34,000 items a month.

Topsham Pharmacy in Devon, Glasshouse Pharmacy in Exeter and West Hoe Pharmacy in Plymouth were all owned by Norsworthy Limited from 2017 before Day Lewis acquired the group for an undisclosed price.

The two owners – Tom Walker and Debbie Cox - of the Norsworthy group sold the three pharmacies so they could both retire, business property advisor Christie & Co explained in the announcement of the sale on 4 July.

Sam Patel, the executive director of Day Lewis, said the group was ‘delighted’ to have acquired the three pharmacies ‘renowned for their quality and delivery of services in their respective areas’.

‘We look forward to further developing the pharmacies as part of the wider Day Lewis business, and we welcome all the Norsworthy staff into the Day Lewis family. We wish Tom and Debbie all the best for their retirements’, he added.

Tony Evans, head of pharmacy at Christie & Co, said that the group sale ‘further underpins market appetite for good quality pharmacies, not only across the sector as a whole but also in the southwest of England’.

In January, The Pharmacist reported that pharmacy sales in the UK increased to the highest levels on record, thanks to the sector's heightened role in the Covid-19 pandemic.

In its annual business outlook report, Christie & Co reported an average of five offers per pharmacy sold in 2021, which is an 11% increase in 2019 and a 31% increase on activity in 2020.

Meanwhile, in an exclusive interview with The Pharmacist in January, Mr Evans said that all community pharmacies should consider technological advancements such as apps to ensure their business success in the future.

In December, The Pharmacist looked into what major players in the pharmacy multiples had been consolidating their business positions and what might the knock-on effects for independents be.