NI pharmacy group acquires third site

A family-run community pharmacy group has expanded with the acquisition of its third site. The Hunter family, which is approaching 30 years of business having opened its first site in 1995, has acquired the Parkes Pharmacy in Gilford, Craigavon.

The acquisition is part of a six-figure investment in the business supported by Ulster Bank. Second-generation pharmacist Matthew Hunter, who will take over the new business, said it was a community the family knew well, having “strong relationships with our service users and with healthcare providers throughout Craigavon area.”

He continued: “When the opportunity came up to purchase Parkes Pharmacy we saw this as a chance to extend our reach and to ensure the local community continues to have access to safe and reliable over-the-counter services."

The acquisition of the site in Gilford takes the total headcount across the business to 25 staff and enables a more than 50 per cent increase in the overall prescription capacity that can be facilitated through the group’s dispensaries.

The Hunter family’s first business was the Eden Pharmacy in Portadown, which opened in 1995. The following year, the business expanded with the opening of its second store in nearby Richhill.

Ulster Bank senior relationship manager Danny McGivern commented: "Eden and Richhill pharmacies have provided a vital community service for decades now and that longevity is a reflection of the dedication and quality of care delivered by the Hunter family.”

"This acquisition will secure access to important healthcare advice and treatments for thousands of service users, and we’re very pleased to have provided the funding facilities to make that possible."


While completed sales in the pharmacy sector have been slow, agreed deals are high, with forecasts that activity will increase considerably during 2024

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