Independent pharmacy chain Day Lewis has celebrated its 50th birthday this week (May 26). 

One of its co-founders, JC Patel, said it’s been a “true privilege” seeing the company grow and it continue with its “purpose to help people stay healthy and feel better”. 

Read more: Multiple meltdown: How many branches of each chain survived 2024? 

“There’s a legacy I’m proud of with Day Lewis,” he added. 

JC Patel started Day Lewis in 1975 with his late-brother Kirit Patel MBE after buying two pharmacies in Southborough, Kent, before adding a third two years later nearby in Riverhead. 

A statement said it had reached “incredible milestones” such as expanding to over 240 pharmacies, serving “millions of patients” and nurturing “generations of pharmacy professionals”. 

JC Patel thanked his “incredible colleagues past and present” for their “passion, commitment, and for living our values every single day”. 

Read more: Day Lewis launches pharmacist manager ‘co-ownership’ scheme 

One of its executive directors, Rupa Patel, said it is “still family owned” and “still rooted in the same principles that inspired our co-founders, my uncle JC Patel and my late-father Kirit Patel”. 

Fellow executive director Sam Patel said: “Thank you for all of our patients and communities for being a part of the Day Lewis story. We promise to keep looking after you and generations to come.” 

Read more: Day Lewis superintendent passes away 

In February, C+D revealed that Day Lewis branch numbers dropped by 11 to 227 between the second quarter of 24/25 and the year-ago quarter. 

In November, Day Lewis launched its “joint venture scheme” allowing pharmacist managers to become co-owners of their pharmacy. 

And in September, Day Lewis’s annual report for 2023 showed that its sales hit £502 million and delivered pre-tax profits of £8m, down 32% from £11.7m in 2022.