Local pharmacies are at the heart of our communities – and they are close to my heart too, as my mum set up and ran our local pharmacy in Southampton when I was growing up.
The pharmacy – or chemist’s – as we affectionately called it, used to be the beating heart of the high street. A familiar face would dispense anything from advice for an earache to the right factor of sunscreen to take on holiday. But for many of us, the local pharmacy is no more as local branches close and the friendly faces behind the counter become increasingly overworked and out of pocket.