Two Lancaster pharmacies will be relocating to a new pharmacy and healthcare hub opening in a heritage Victoria building in November. 

The husband-and-wife team Tariq and Nabila Malik have been practising pharmacists in Lancaster for over 20 years and will move all services and staff from their current Dalton Square and King Street pharmacies to the former Oddfellows Hall on Brock Street. 

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Built in 1844, the Victorian building had been shut for over a decade since the Bensons for Beds store moved out, as renovation work had been done to deal with its declining condition ahead of restoring and repurposing it as a pharmacy and healthcare hub. 

The Malik’s two city centre pharmacies had gained a reputation for seven days a week accessibility, having friendly and experienced staff, and a wide range of healthcare provisions and services available. 

Nabila says that they will expand their services so they’re “even more easily accessible to our community” by having four consultation rooms at the new, larger Brook Street location to give them “scope for everything from confidential conversations, cholesterol and blood pressure checks to ongoing support for giving up smoking and other health services”. 

“It’s the biggest project we’ve ever been involved in, but the whole team are really excited about bringing this heritage building back to life,” she added. 

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The Dalton Square pharmacy manager Ruth Laverty added she will be “sad to leave this building after nearly 18 years, but this new location means the teams from both shops will be working together helping our existing customers and hopefully lots of new faces too”.

With increasing requests for jabs and travel advice, one room will be dedicated solely to travel vaccinations as Nabila is the only independent pharmacist qualified to offer this service in Lancaster centre. 

She is also keen to “help people start feeling better much quicker than waiting for GP appointments” by utilising the Pharmacy First scheme where possible. 

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“Many don’t know we can now provide prescription medication directly for many common complaints, including ear infections, UTIs, sore throats, sinusitis, infected insect bites, impetigo and shingles, as Pharmacy First takes pressure off doctors, meaning you can see yours quicker when you really need to,” she said. 

The new hub will be open seven days a week after the launch on November 4, and the Malik’s will call their new premises Brock Street Pharmacy (Health and Travel Clinic).