New shops in Inverness opposed by Tesco
TWO new shops in facility-starved Milton of Leys have been blocked following the intervention of supermarket giant Tesco.
A £400,000 scheme would have seen at least 10 new jobs created in a pharmacy and convenience store. But Tesco, along with pharmaceutical chain Rowlands, objected to the chemists, arguing their own stores at Inshes and Hilton’s Balloan Park were sufficient to meet local demand.
NHS Highland — which must approve new pharmacies — has now agreed, throwing the whole project into doubt, despite it attracting strong support from the local community.
Inverness South councillor Thomas Prag is mystified by the decision.
“It really looked as if we had finally found a way to get some shops and facilities, so it is enormously frustrating that a proposal to do something positive for the health of the local community has been blocked like this,” he said.
“People are understandably gob-smacked that Tesco and their ilk seem able to work the system to stop even the smallest of competitors.”
Last night businessman Sanjay Majhu was unsure of his next move. Without the pharmacy he doubts whether the scheme makes financial sense, particularly as a convenience store would face strong competition from Tesco and the soon-to-be-completed Asda.
“For me the healthcare was always viable and the shop was always a favour,” he said.
The provision of pharmacies is heavily regulated by the NHS and operators must prove there is an unmet need before new stores can go ahead. Mr Majhu argues that the existing chemists are inadequate for the fast growing population of Milton of Leys and can only be reached by car, public transport or a lengthy walk.
“I feel deflated right now and just think no matter what arguments I put across they crumble,” he said.
NHS Highlands’ refusal is particularly controversial because its pharmacy practices committee initially approved the businessman’s plan last December, describing it as both necessary and desirable to improve access to healthcare services.
Rowlands’ subsequent appeal was upheld by the National Appeals Panel in March but Mr Majhu, who already operates chemists in Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, received so much public backing that he submitted a new application to NHS Highland last month. This time it was turned down after members heard from Tesco and Rowlands.
The committee decided that the economic downturn meant the area’s planned expansion may not go ahead, casting doubt on the need for a new pharmacy.
Local politicians have been angered by the move. Carolyn Caddick, Lib-Dem candidate in the forthcoming Highland Council Inverness South by-election, wants the ruling overturned and is contacting Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon and NHS Highland chief executive Elaine Mead.
Gavin Norton, Milton of Leys Residents Association chairman is also demanding a rethink.
“It’s absolutely appalling and really doesn’t make sense,” he said. “It’s pretty disgraceful that it got turned down.”
Conservative MSP Mary Scanlon commented: “Residents at Milton of Leys have fought hard for every single facility beyond their initial dog dirt bin, so this is very insensitive.”
Neither Tesco nor Rowlands responded to requests for a comment and nobody on the pharmacy practices committee was available to explain its decision.
However, NHS Highland’s head of community pharmaceutical services Mary Morton explained the committee concluded a new pharmacy was not necessary as there was “no clear demonstration of inadequate provision of pharmaceutical services in the Milton of Leys neighbourhood.”