Boots follows patients to the edge of town

Boots Opticians managing director Norman Usher said the move to new locations would start in the autumn and develop along the lines of the plan by the Boots Group to accelerate its pharmaceutical store development programme.
The company already has some edge of town optical practices within Boots The Chemist outlets sited in retail parks. However, Usher indicated an increased presence for Boots Opticians in edge of town shopping centres would help the 300 strong optical chain gain an edge over its rivals.
'As with Boots The Chemist we will be closing some of the smaller practices in town and relocating to higher traffic areas, like edge of town,' he said.
'Many customers are going to retail parks generally, and as we can place a Boots Opticians outlet in a bigger Boots store, it's easier for us to move to these locations than our competitors. '
He admitted that for a number of years Boots Opticians had not changed its store locations to keep up with the changing retail market.
'Towns change and so do their retail environments,' he said. 'Edge of town opportunities come up, and Boots Opticians is going to be involved with store development in the near future.'
The Boots Group, which currently trades from 75 edge of town properties, has announced its aim to open 20 more outlets by April 2004.
Following June's announcement regarding franchising opportunities, interest has been strong, said Usher. 'There has also been good interest from outside Boots,' he said. 'We will be favouring our own people for obvious reasons.'
optician understands more than 100 Boots employees have applied to be franchise holders, with over two dozen people applying from outside the company.
The group has refused to disclose publicly the locations of the outlets which have been earmarked to become franchised stores.
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