Boots loses boss but gains 'premier store'

Boots Opticians will be part of Boots The Chemists new prestigious presence on London's Oxford Street. However, February has seen the departure of the director who oversaw its new staff incentive scheme.

Colin McLean, whose background was in fast moving consumer goods, was appointed last year as commercial director of new businesses at Boots. He helped launch the new rewards package to Boots Opticians staff, and was involved in the negotiations with Optical Express on the sale of Boots' laser eye correction business.

This week a Boots spokesman confirmed McLean had left. 'We intended that Boots Opticians would become a more integral part of Boots The Chemists for some time now,' he said. 'Colin did a lot of work on our services side, and once the management of Boots Opticians was absorbed fully into the pharmacy side of the business the role he came to perform had finished.'

Meanwhile Boots plans to open a 'flagship' store in Oxford Street this spring. 'Our belief is the store will give Boots a presence on Oxford Street that we've previously lacked,' the spokesman said, describing it as a 'premier store'.

The 2,700sq m shop, in Sedley Place, will have four trading floors. A Boots Opticians outlet will be sited on the first floor alongside healthcare, where there will also be a complementary medicine area and pharmacy support service, Retail Week reported.