A GROWING chemist's firm in the east of Scotland has completed its purchase of the village pharmacy in Garelochhead.

Davidson's Chemists, based in Blairgowrie, finalised its takeover of the pharmacy in the centre of the village from previous owners Hillview Ltd on October 1.

Allan Gordon, managing director of the new owners, told the Advertiser that it was a case of 'business as usual' at the newly-acquired pharmacy.

Mr Gordon said: "The Garelochhead pharmacy was previously owned by Fraser MacPherson of Hillview Ltd, who also runs the pharmacy in Cardross.

"Garelochhead is our first pharmacy in the Highlands and Islands health board area, although we also run the pharmacy 25 miles away in Drymen, so we regard it as being on our patch."

The latest acquisition takes the Davidson's network to 36 pharmacies, with all bar those in Garelochhead and Drymen located in Fife, Tayside, Perth and Kinross, Angus, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire.

Mr Gordon added: “We now have a presence in five of Scotland's health board areas and it's our intention to continue our steady growth to the point where, in the next five to 10 years, we have a network of 50 pharmacies.

“The company is doing extremely well at the moment – in the last year pre-tax profits were up 20 per cent, continuing the trend of the last four or five years, and we're building up a sizeable amount of cash on our balance sheet with a view to acquiring further pharmacies in the foreseeable future.”

Mr MacPherson, who still owns the Cardross pharmacy, said: "I felt I had taken the business in Garelochhead to its maximum, and I think the community in the village will only benefit from its sale.

"Davidson's is a really community-based company, and the pharmacy in Garelochhead fits really well with their operating model. I think they'll only make it better."

Founded by Walter Davidson in Blairgowrie in 1879, Davidson's has been awarded prestigious patronage from both the Queen and the Duke of Rothesay – Prince Charles' title when in Scotland.