C+D rounds up what’s been going on in the market...

Cottingham Pharmacy 

A husband-and-wife team have purchased their third pharmacy in the North East Lincolnshire area as they “plan to work on synergising” their pharmacies together for the local community this week (December 16). 

Cottingham Pharmacy in Waltham, a village close to Grimsby, has been sold to Isioma and Ezinne Honnah and they say it is “a fantastic strategic acquisition for our family business” and “we look forward to expanding what we do there as well as enhancing the excellent business that we have acquired”. 

Read more: Market round-up as 67 year old family-owned community pharmacy sold

As well as dispensing roughly 10,500 items per month, it’s website sells around £10,000 of OTC items and Christie & Co pharmacy director Jon Booth said the sale represents “the sweet spot of the market across the North of England” due to its low rent and good margins. 

“Experience has shown that buyers can be a little bit harder to find for sites in these coastal locations which are a long distance from the large cities of Bradford, Leeds and Sheffield.  

“It is pleasing to see the deal now complete to Isioma and Ezinne – a pair of committed and hardworking local independents with already established contracts in the town,” Booth said. 

John Dent (Chemist) Ltd  

A pair of Chesterfield pharmacies with over 100 years of history have been sold to a small independent pharmacy chain this month (December 9). 

The two community pharmacies, Dents of Chesterfield on Windermere Road and Dents Pharmacy in Saltergate, went into administration late last year and have been sold to SSS Healthcare Limited who own five pharmacies across South Yorkshire. 

Read more: Podcast: Christie & Co Annual Market Review 2024

The pair had dispensed an average of 16,000 items combined per month, and Christie & Co pharmacy director Carl Steer said it is "always regrettable to see any business enter administration but more so with such a long-established brand”. 

He added it “quickly gained multiple offers” as “we agreed a sale with the benefit to the administrator of the buyer entering the pharmacies on a management agreement”. 

McDaid’s Pharmacy 

A sister-run community pharmacy has been sold in County Derry to local first-time buyers (November 28). 

The family-owned pharmacy is located on Dungiven’s main street and dispense around 6,000 items per month alongside a “strong retail trade which includes the sale of some major brands, a profitable gift section and several well-known make-up stands”. 

Read more: Top tips for new pharmacy owners

Christie & Co’s pharmacy director Karl Clezy said there was a lot of interest in Therese and Eithne McDaid’s pharmacy as “three offers were received, showing the ongoing appetite for well-run independent pharmacies at this price point”, 

First-time buyers Steafan McCloskey and Declan Bateson purchased the pharmacy. 

Angel City Pharmacy 

A first-time buyer who wants to offer Pharmacy First and vaccination services has purchased an Islington pharmacy from a retiring owner (December 2). 

Local to North London’s Angel City Pharmacy, new owner Ikheko Evbuomwan wants to offer these additional services for the high footfall location. 

Read more: Pharmacy owners - what are your thoughts?

With funding support secured through Christie Finance’s consultant Raj Patel, he says “Ikheko is delighted to achieve her goal of owning her first pharmacy” and he wishes her “all the best with her first pharmacy venture”. 

The business had been owned by Shaid Sheikh since 2015 and the sale completed during the 2024 Pharmacy Show 2024, allowing Sheikh to retire. 

Shally’s Chemist 

A Nottinghamshire community pharmacy has been sold to a first-time buyer to allow its owner to retire after 25 years in business, Christie & Co said this week (December 18). 

Shally’s Chemist, based in New Basford near Nottingham, has been sold to Birmingham-based Miza Choudhury as its owner Shally Suri retires. 

Read more: Becoming a pharmacy store owner: Who is Rahul Sharda?

Christie & Co pharmacy director Carl Steer said this sale attracted the “roller-coaster effect” as an initial agreed sale failed to materialise. 

“Mr Suri and I decided to seek a new purchaser. Within just two weeks a sale was agreed for a higher price than was previously agreed and the sale was duly completed within circa six months,” he said. 

Summersdale Pharmacy 

A team of GPs have sold their Chichester pharmacy to experienced owners this month (December 6). 

Summersdale Pharmacy is located just outside of Chichester town centre next to Lavant Road Surgery, with its GP owners deciding to sell after some of them retired. 

With new owners Mohamed Amiralli and Kardo Ali taking over the pharmacy dispensing around 10,000 items per month, Ali is looking forward to “building on the excellent foundations laid by the previous owners”. 

Read more: New head pharmacy broker at Christie & Co

“The close relationship with the local GP surgery presents a unique opportunity to provide even greater care and service to the community.  

“We’re committed to continuing the pharmacy’s strong reputation while exploring new ways to expand its services and ensure it remains an integral part of the local community,” he said. 

Delapre Pharmacy and Far Cotton Pharmacy 

A pharmacy owner has tripled the number of pharmacies he has after purchasing a pair of Northampton pharmacies, Christie & Co announced this week (December 18). 

Sagar Shah is taking over Delapre Pharmacy and Far Cotton Pharmacy which are less than a mile part from each other and dispense a combined 17,500 items per month. 

Read more: ‘Pills and Deals: Life Behind The Counter’ YouTube series

The sale enables the owners to go into semi-retirement as Christie & Co pharmacy director Carl Steer said it was “pleasing” to help Shah “add two more in his local area” as the pair were sold off-market when the guide price was achieved. 

All pharmacies have been sold for undisclosed prices.