Chemist, Skerries Closing Down

cbreeze

Chemist at the corner of Thomas Hand Street and Church Street, Skerries is closing down at the end of April. In the meantime they have a special offer of 60% off prescriptions

naughty1205

cbreeze wrote: »

Chemist at the corner of Thomas Hand Street and Church Street, Skerries is closing down at the end of April. In the meantime they have a special offer of 60% off prescriptions

Do you mean Strand St. and Thomas Hand St. ?

cbreeze

naughty1205 wrote: »

Do you mean Strand St. and Thomas Hand St. ?

Yes, that's it (I mixed them up)

naughty1205

Yes, I've been in it a few times but it's always empty. I think there are enough chemists in Skerries as it is! Hopefully no one will be out of a job

SPAWKER

naughty1205 wrote: »

Do you mean Strand St. and Thomas Hand St. ?

Actually it's on the corner of Cross St/ Strand St

The Hill Billy

cbreeze wrote: »

...Thomas Hand Street and Church Street...

naughty1205 wrote: »

Do you mean Strand St. and Thomas Hand St. ?

SPAWKER wrote: »

Actually it's on the corner of Cross St/ Strand St

The one by the Monument!!!

RockDesk

I'll never understand why they opened a chemist there in the first place - and even further, why a 2nd one would open after the 1st failed!

Rashers72

Coffee shop failed their previously also. Maybe time for a betting office! Lol!

Beasty

The number of pharmacies in Skerries still seems very excessive in my view. In similar sized towns in the UK you would be lucky to have a choice of 2. Can't say I'm surprised to see this one go. The fact so many survive in Skerries is perhaps indicative of issues within the Irish health system.

Beasty

Rashers72 wrote: »

Coffee shop failed their previously also. Maybe time for a betting office! Lol!

Already have enough of them. Maybe a 2nd bike shop would not go amiss:pac:

Stheno

Beasty wrote: »

The number of pharmacies in Skerries still seems very excessive in my view. In similar sized towns in the UK you would be lucky to have a choice of 2. Can't say I'm surprised to see this one go. The fact so many survive in Skerries is perhaps indicative of issues within the Irish health system.

How many are there? I can think of at least twelve in Swords and four in Malahide as a comparison

Beasty

Stheno wrote: »

How many are there? I can think of at least twelve in Swords and four in Malahide as a comparison

Can think of 6 still there after that closure - that's off the top of my head

Elemonator

The place never seems to survive. Chandy's is there years!

Didn't know there was so many town residents on Boards.ie.

PukkaStukka

Beasty wrote: »

The number of pharmacies in Skerries still seems very excessive in my view. In similar sized towns in the UK you would be lucky to have a choice of 2. Can't say I'm surprised to see this one go. The fact so many survive in Skerries is perhaps indicative of issues within the Irish health system.

It depends if the pharmacy is close to a GP practice. There are two pharmacies in Donabate and both are doing well because the GP is next door.

Beasty

I know it's a wider point, but the fact so many pharmacies can survive in Ireland in my view begs serious questions over the pricing of prescription drugs here

L1011

Distributor prices for prescription drugs here are very high compared to where we usually compare to (UK, Spain mostly).

Most pharmacies either charge 20% margin over cost + a fee or just cost + a fee - although not everywhere charges the same for every product, etc, etc. You can find very big differences between pharmacies in the same town even.

6-7 years ago they all charged 50% margin + a fee per item basically across the board - competition cut this down. Also, the cost price of most big sellers has been cut repeatedly sometimes to a quarter or less of what it was, so making most of your margin off a % of the cost is problematic.

The Hill Billy

PukkaStukka wrote: »

It depends if the pharmacy is close to a GP practice. There are two pharmacies in Donabate and both are doing well because the GP is next door.

The premises where the pharmacies keep closing is just across the road from Mulholland's surgery. It is closer to a GP practice than any other pharmacy in the town.

Beasty

The Hill Billy wrote: »

The premises where the pharmacies keep closing is just across the road from Mulholland's surgery. It is closer to a GP practice than any other pharmacy in the town.

Except for the one next door to (and sharing an entrance with) the Windmill Medical Centre;)

The Hill Billy

I stand corrected. I didn't know there was a pharmacy there.

Beasty

L1011 wrote: »

Distributor prices for prescription drugs here are very high compared to where we usually compare to (UK, Spain mostly).

Most pharmacies either charge 20% margin over cost + a fee or just cost + a fee - although not everywhere charges the same for every product, etc, etc. You can find very big differences between pharmacies in the same town even.

6-7 years ago they all charged 50% margin + a fee per item basically across the board - competition cut this down. Also, the cost price of most big sellers has been cut repeatedly sometimes to a quarter or less of what it was, so making most of your margin off a % of the cost is problematic.

I use a pharmacy near Clare Hall - they give a minimum 20% off and when they can offer generic alternatives up to 50% off. When comparing prices in Skerries for a non generic Dymista I can pay around €50. With my "loyalty" card at the one near work I'm paying €36 for the same 4 week supply (and I'm advised to use this for the rest of my life)

I guess the question I keep coming back to is why people think we need more pharmacies than supermarkets and are still prepared to invest in opening them unless there is a view they can each make enough money to survive (and indeed prosper).

naughty1205

There must be 6 pharmacies in Rush and there are 3 in Lusk, but I read recently that the population of lusk is larger than that of Skerries? Must look that up again.

Lusk: 7,022. Skerries 9,671 (2011) I think things have changed since then.

Beasty

naughty1205 wrote: »

I read recently that the population of lusk is larger than that of Skerries? Must look that up again.

Lusk: 7,022. Skerries 9,671 (2011) I think things have changed since then.

If not already it can't be far off. Must be a business opportunity for an entrepreneur to start a pharmacy chain with their first 4 shops in Lusk...

Wishbone Ash

naughty1205 wrote: »

There must be 6 pharmacies in Rush...

I can only think of 3 - the one near Price's supermarket, the one near the AIB and the new one on the Skerries corner. (Apologies - I don't know their names as I rarely have the need for one).

Where are the other 3?

cbreeze

naughty1205 wrote: »

Yes, I've been in it a few times but it's always empty. I think there are enough chemists in Skerries as it is! Hopefully no one will be out of a job

I checked in there yesterday and they told me staff would continue to be employed in one of the other branches of the chain.

I bought the last item of something I have to take regularly and went to another chemist in Strand Street and got another one. It was 5% cheaper in the other chemist :eek:

Wishbone Ash

Chandy sells Nicorette chewing gum at €5 per pack (of 30). It's between €9 and €13 in any other chemist.

micks_address

Rashers72 wrote: »

Coffee shop failed their previously also. Maybe time for a betting office! Lol!

Is that where arabica was? They did a class breakfast

ILikeBoats

There'll be a new premises going up across the road too where the bus bar is, could be another pharmacy!

triggermortis

Looks like I'll need to go elsewhere for my repeat prescription now. At least I won't have to go far...