Independent chain Porter Pharmacy has bought two more stores as part of its growth plans.
The group, run by husband and wife team Andy and Lynne Porter, now operates seven pharmacies throughout Aberdeen City and Shire.
Andy and Lynne met while studying pharmacy at Robert Gordon University. After working for national pharmacy companies, they set up their own business in 2006 by buying their first pharmacy in Bridge of Don.
They later added four more pharmacy businesses in Cove Bay, Kincorth, Sheddocksley and Holburn.
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Now they have bought the former Lloyds Pharmacy branches in Westhill Shopping Centre and Arnhall Business Park, which will both be rebranded as Porter Pharmacy.
At Aberdein Considine, partner and head of corporate Ritchie Whyte and associate Danny Anderson provided legal support for the financing and acquisition, while partner Gemma Perfect and partner Nicola Gray (Partner) provided legal support on real estate and employment law matters respectively.
Since buying the two pharmacies in Westhill, Porter Pharmacy has recruited five new staff, taking the total number of employees at Porter Pharmacy to 73.
Andy and Lynne plan to grow the offering at their new pharmacies, having already introduced a delivery service. They have also applied for planning permission to put in place a new 24 hour prescription collection kiosk in the Westhill Shopping Centre outlet.
Andy Porter said: “This is an important moment for Porter Pharmacy and having started our first independent business in 2006 it felt like the right time and the right opportunity to expand the business further.
"We’ve always been focused on providing the best pharmacy for our customers and we will do everything to ensure that they receive a service that is practical, convenient and reliable.
"It was vital to have expert advisers behind us, and the support we had from Ritchie, Danny, Gemma, Nicola and their teams was invaluable in getting the deal over the line.
Ritchie Whyte, of Aberdein Considine, said: “It’s been a real pleasure working with Andy and Lynne over the last few years and in particular on these milestone acquisitions, which are hugely important not just for the business but also for the local community.
"Andy and Lynne have built a fantastic business focused first and foremost on providing an excellent service to their customers across Aberdeen City and Shire and we wish them every success with the new pharmacies and look forward to continuing to support them and the business moving forward."
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