A THIRD pharmacy is to open in Wellington after a takeover by Allied Pharmacies was announced on New Year’s Eve.

The long-closed Jhoots premises behind the former Luson GP surgery in Fore Street is among 68 around the country to be acquired by Allied Pharmacies.

The company also bought 61 other Jhoots branches across the Westcountry in November.

It takes to 129 the total number of premises added to the Allied network.

The company has not said if it will trade from the empty building on the Luson car park site or if it has found other premises in Wellington.

Nor has any timescale been given for the reopening.

Wellington patients have had the use of only two town centre pharmacies for the past several months with NHS Somerset refusing a licence for a third operator because it refused to accept that Jhoots was ‘permanently’ closed.

An Allied spokesperson said the latest acquisitions were ‘a significant step in strengthening access to essential healthcare services nationwide’.

The spokesperson said: “This expansion comes at a time when the sector continues to face structural challenges, and we are committed to playing a stabilising role by investing in sustainable models of care.

“By consolidating resources and expertise, Allied Pharmacies has ensured it is well positioned to deliver reliable, high-quality pharmaceutical services across the country and to reinforce our connection with the communities we serve.

“We are focused on bringing these pharmacies back to full operational capacity as quickly as possible to safeguard patient care, while also acknowledging the former Jhoots employees for their commitment and resilience during this challenging time.

“We want to assure them that they will receive the same consideration and care as those supported during the earlier acquisition of pharmacies this year.”

Allied Pharmacies is a chain of partnerships with local pharmacists formed 20 years ago which now has more than 200 premises nationwide.

The spokesperson said: “We are proud to be a trusted NHS partner, delivering high-quality healthcare across pharmacies in England and Wales.

“We bring decades of experience, strong partnerships, and a deep commitment to patient care.

“Our dedicated teams work collaboratively to ensure accessible, reliable, and personalised healthcare for the communities we serve.”

Jhoots is also a national chain but patients had seen erratic branch opening hours and shortages of staff and qualified pharmacists.