WEST Somerset patients have been told they need to ‘use it lose it’ following the takeover by Allied Pharmacies of failing Jhoots branches.

Allied now runs the former Jhoots premises in Williton and has opened a branch in Friday Street, Minehead, not far from the Irnham Road premises Jhoots used to run.

MP Rachel Gilmour has met in Parliament with the five brothers who run Allied, chief executive Suhaib Abdullah, and Mussab, Suhail, Bilal, and Abdul Sharief.

They told Mrs Gilmour business in the Minehead branch was slower than expected and the takeover deal did not necessarily guarantee the long-term sustainability of either site.

The brothers made it clear that it was a case of ‘use it or lose it’ when it came to keeping the pharmacies open in the medium and long-term.

Allied Pharmacies, established in 2005, has a history of taking over distressed pharmacy assets, after previously acquiring various Lloyds premises.

The brothers said last year Allied made multiple deals with Jhoots Pharmacy Ltd to acquire a total of 129 pharmacy premises across the country.

They said Allied had agreed with Jhoots administrators to pay the full arrears of wages for staff who transferred to the business and had now done so for all of the first set of pharmacy transfers.

Mrs Gilmour said: “I am pleased I was able to meet the Allied Pharmacies team to learn more about the acquisition of premises across the constituency.

“After my meeting, I have confidence in Allied to play a key role in improving the state of local pharmacy services for constituents in Mid Devon and West Somerset.

“They are definitely an improvement on Jhoots, but now they need our help to keep each of their new premises open.

“I look forward to working closely with the Allied team to ensure constituents can easily access life-improving and life-saving medications.”