New Linlithgow pharmacy gets the go-ahead after near five-year wait for approval

Simply called ‘The Linlithgow Pharmacy’, the much-needed new service will open at 269 High Street, giving the town it’s third pharmacy. The unit is currently occupied by Impressed Home Care, which plans to move out.

The plans to open a new pharmacy in the West Lothian town were submitted in November 2019 by local man Tom Byrne, who previously ran a pharmacy in Ayrshire. Earlier this week he revealed his frustration at delays to the application process, which NHS Lothian blamed on the Covid pandemic and appeals by other pharmacies holding up the process.

Mr Byrne is delighted that the appeal panel has now dismissed the appeals allowing the application to be finalised, and he thanked the local community for their support with his application.

He said: “We had massive support for this in the local community. Linlithgow and Linlithgow Bridge Community Council have been fantastic. As has the local councillor Pauline Orr and local MSP Fiona Hyslop - her office has been keeping in contact with NHS Lothian, pushing this forward. All the local town councillors deserve praise as well.

“As part of the application process you have to undertake a public consultation exercise. We got 700 responses, which at that time was the highest number of responses that NHS Lothian had received, and the responses were 97/98 per cent positive.

“So this is good news for everybody involved. It was a really good example of a community coming together to say they wanted this additional service.

“I’m absolutely delighted the application has now been accepted, it’s been a long time coming. So this is great news for Linlithgow. A new, third pharmacy, was much needed in the town.”

Linlithgow Pharmacy will open in the coming months at this shop until at 269 High Street in the West Lothian time, currently occupied by Impressed Home Care. | Google Maps

Tom, who has lived in Linlithgow for 30 years, explained that there is just one more hurdle to jump, but he still hopes to open the town’s new pharmacy by Christmas this year.

He said: “We now need NHS Lothian to put us on the provisional pharmaceutical list to get this new pharmacy moving and then we will engage with shop fitters, who we have got lined up, and then we will open as soon as we can.

“We would like to be open within the next three months, we are working really hard behind the scenes to be open by Christmas. So we are just waiting on NHS Lothian putting us on the list before our plans can move forward.

“I’m so happy that this application has now been accepted and delighted with the support from the town council and local officials and the community.

“This has demonstrated that when a strong community council, elected representatives and local residents work together the needs of the community can be met.

“Everyone has recognised that this is needed for the town and so it’s great to see it now coming to pass.”

NHS Lothian confirmed that the application for a pharmacy at 269 High Street, Linlithgow, has now been agreed by a national appeals panel.