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| Smaller stores in secondary or underperforming locations could be closed |
Boots the Chemists is planning to close “a few dozen” of its smallest
stores over the next six months following a review of the economic status of
its branches.
Mr Francis Thomas (group media relations manager, Boots Co Plc) told The Journal
on October 9 that the company had identified a few dozen stores which were no
longer economically viable due to changes in local shopping patterns, mostly
on secondary or underperforming high street locations. These would be closed.
The premises would either be reused by other parts of the Boots group or disposed
of, he said.
Over the same period, Boots was planning to open up to 30 large edge-of-town
stores. Mr Thomas said that a report in the Sunday Telegraph on October 8 that
as many as 250 stores could be closed was wrong.
The same report had said that Boots was holding merger talks with J. Sainsbury
Plc. This was also wrong, Mr Thomas said. The company did not have any merger
plans, although exploratory talks were held with a range of organisations, including
retailers, from time to time.