Boots shut Leyland store in Hough Lane as Bodycare and Lidl also plan to leave town

Boots has permanently shut its store in Leyland town centre.

It was no secret that the branch in Hough Lane was closing. In October last year, the Post revealed the Leyland store was to be axed along with dozens of branches across the UK in 2024.

But Boots was reluctant to confirm an exact date for the closure, which came as a shock to customers who found the shutters down at the weekend.

READ MORE: 23 retro pictures of Leyland town centre in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s as Bodycare & Lidl close local stores

The store is now closed permanently and there are no plans to open a new branch in Leyland.

Boots declined to comment on the closure but it is understood that all staff have been offered roles at other stores.

The closure is part of the retailer's 'consolidation programme', which has been ongoing since June 2023. In September, it announced plans to shut around 300 branches across the UK but had only confirmed a few locations.

It said many of the stores were not expected to meet their financial targets and were in a 2km (1.2 mile) radius of other Boots branches.

The nearest Boots stores to Leyland are now in Bamber Bridge (Station Road, 3.5 miles away), Capitol Centre in Walton-le-Dale (4.5 miles away), Chorley (Market Walk, 5 miles away) and Preston (Fishergate, 6 miles away).

Going, going, gone. Bodycare, Lidl and now Boots

It is a double-blow for Leyland shoppers who will also lose their Bodycare branch in Hough Lane next week.

The discount beauty retailer, which trades as Graham's, has announced it will shut permanently on Wednesday, February 14. You can read our report on its closure here.

Bodycare, whose headquarters are based just 1.5 miles away in Buckshaw Village, has no plans to open a new store in Leyland.

The health and beauty chains are the latest retailers to quit the South Ribble town. Other big-name brands to leave Leyland include Lidl (closing February 29) and Poundstretcher (closed June last year).

Some independent businesses have also found it difficult to trade in the town, leading to the closure of a number of stores in recent weeks.

In January, town centre coffee shop The Hideout closed after its owner said escalating costs made it "impossible to survive".

And at the weekend, Bathroom Delights/Charisma Crystals in Hough Lane ceased trading after just 15 months.

The owner of the shop, which sold luxury scented bath fizzers, fragranced wax melts, crystal jewellery and incense, said the decision to close was made with a "heavy heart and a lot of trying".

"We would like to thank all our customers that supported us over some of the difficult times," said the owner, who will continue to trade online. You can visit the online shop here.