CONTROVERSIAL plans to close a Rodbourne pharmacy to merge its services with a further away branch have been refused. Hundreds of people signed a petition started by ward councillors which protested against a proposal to shut the 167 Rodbourne Road branch of Rowlands Pharmacy and direct customers to another one near GWR Park which would then have extended opening hours. Rowlands argued that the change would not create a gap in available services but many people disagreed - and now Primary Care Support England has sided with the citizens. Neighbours feared the lack of parking or close bus stops near the Park Lane pharmacy as well as the 788-metre-longer walk along a narrow and busy footpath under the railway bridge to reach the other branch made it far less accessible to elderly or less mobile customers.
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WORRIED elderly and vulnerable neighbours are fighting back against the proposed closure of their pharmacy. Rowlands Pharmacy hopes to shutter the Rodbourne Road branch and move its services down the road to Park Lane. The company’s application suggests that the consolidation would not create a gap in health services, but several customers disagree. They argue that the further-away branch is harder to access due to a lack of parking and bus stops opposite it and say the narrow path under the railway bridge is difficult for people with mobility scooters or pushchairs to navigate. Lyn Townsend, 77, said: “I’m concerned and so are a lot of people in Rodbourne, it’s wrong.
PLANS to close a Rodbourne pharmacy have been met with outrage and complaints from councillors and neighbours. If the proposal goes ahead, the Rowlands Pharmacy on Rodbourne Road would be closed and all of its services would be transferred to another branch on Park Lane. Coun Kevin Small, Coun Jim Robbins and Coun Steph Exell set up a petition protesting the idea because they fear that people living in the area will find it harder to access the further-away pharmacy. Coun Small said: We ll certainly do all we can to fight this decision. We ve already been inundated with comments against the plan from residents as soon as we let them know about the plan.