MSP wades into Auchterarder ‘turf war’

Aug 31 2010 by Denis Brown, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

DAVIDSONS Chemists’ contender Allan Gordon is about to step into the ring with rival Lloyds again, aiming for a undisputed knock-out.

This time, the 26-shop chain boss – attempting to open a branch in Auchterarder to compete with ‘UK Goliath’ Lloyds Pharmacy – has big-hitter Elizabeth Smith MSP in his corner.

Hundreds of people are believed to have made submissions to Tayside Health Board about the application for a new facility at 54-56 High Street before the deadline bell rang last Saturday.

Now the Tayside NHS Board’s pharmacy practices committee will consider all relevant material, including an endorsement from the Mid Scotland and Fife MSP.

During the consultation period, Ms Smith rallied support for the second chemist and received a landslide of representations from Lang Toon locals, most backing the application.

“One of the most important considerations when it comes to issuing a new pharmacy licence is the level of public demand," she said.

“I have therefore written to the health board in my capacity as an MSP to say that I am supporting Davidsons’ application to open a new pharmacy in the town.

“I believe there are compelling reasons why a second pharmacy would be an advantage. In particular, I believe it would provide an increased quality and choice of service in a town which is expanding and which is, after all, already the same size as several other towns in Perth and Kinross which have two, three or sometimes four pharmacies to serve their residents.’’

Davidsons has sunk £100,000 into its fight to open another branch in the Lang Toon since the late 1990s, but its latest attempt nosedived in May despite support from 500 locals.

Although the application to open a new pharmacy in competition with sole operator Lloyds Pharmacy was approved last December, it was spiked after a national appeal panel upheld an appeal by Lloyds, which deemed the plan “neither necessary nor desirable”.

Mr Gordon told the PA that he considered the appeal ironic given that two years after buying the town’s only pharmacy, Lloyds lodged an application in 2004 to open a second pharmacy, which was refused.

When advised by the PA in July about Mr Gordon’s latest application, Lloyds Pharmacy area manager Anne-Marie Martin said she was unaware of it but made clear Lloyds’ disappointment.