A TOWN centre pharmacy has drastically changed its opening hours after two new facilities opened close to it within a matter of months.

Ipswich Star: The official opening of the Felixstowe pharmacyThe official opening of the Felixstowe pharmacy (Image: Archant)

Three pharmacies now operate in Hamilton Road and stand just 350 yards apart from each other with Hado Pharmacy and Felixstowe Pharmacy, which is linked to the Central Surgery, opening in the last two months.

Yesterday the Co-op admitted it had reviewed its pharmacy’s opening hours and they would now be extended longer into the evening.

But bosses at the organisation say the change is aimed at making their services more accessible.

Brendan Smith, Specialist Retail Controller for the East of England Co-op, said: “We have recently extended the opening hours at our Pharmacy on Hamilton Road in Felixstowe, in response to the needs of local people.

“As a community retailer we understand the importance of convenient local health services, and are making our services more accessible with longer opening hours to mirror those at the nearby Central Surgery.”

Hado Pharmacy and Felixstowe Pharmacy are both under 100 hour contracts so are open late into the evening, with Hado closing its doors most nights at 11pm.

The new hours at the Co-op Pharmacy will see it close at 8pm from Tuesday to Thursday and 6.30pm on Mondays and Fridays.

The Felixstowe Pharmacy, the newest facility on the road, closes most nights at 10.30pm but will move when the surgery moves to its new premises next to the Grove.

Andrew Murray, the owner of Community Pharmacies Ltd, which runs the Felixstowe Pharmacy, said: “The pharmacy will relocate with the doctors and we have already signed the lease on the pharmacy space on the new building so we will move.

“The point of opening the surgery is that we want to be up and open and integrated with the practice.”