Motts Pharmacy reopened on Monday 13 November, just two doors away at the former HSBC building in the Market Place.
 
After the bank closed in October 2015, local pharmacist Gurpreet (Guppy) Kular saw an opportunity to move the business from its rented premises at The Chimes.
 
The building was purchased in May 2016 and since then Mr Kular and his team have been busy reorganising and refitting the former bank to modern pharmacy standards as part of plans to secure the business’s long-term future.
 
Local contractors were used for the refitting, including carpenters and painters and decorators from Reepham. And as a listed building in a conservation area, the pharmacy is currently working on plans for disabled access.
 
Although the new premises offer slightly less retail space, “this has allowed us to streamline the number of items stocked so that we will now only carry products that are more likely to sell,” said Mr Kular, who acquired the pharmacy six years ago.
 
The large first-floor space is dedicated to stock and a second dispensary. He explained that most pharmacies’ revenues now come from dispensing prescription medicines compared with 20 years ago – and an increase in dispensing is likely to continue. Of its total staff of seven employees, Motts currently has three pharmacy dispensers.
 
As well as offering health advice and treatment for many minor ailments and minor injuries, the pharmacy now offers a range of healthcare services, including flu vaccinations, antimalarials and erectile dysfunction treatments, as well as travel and holiday health advice.
 

• Motts Pharmacy, Market Place, Reepham NR10 4JJ is open Monday to Friday from 9 am – 6 pm, and on Saturday from 9 am – 5 pm. Tel: 01603 871738. Email: info@mottspharmacy.co.uk