I was actually quite a big fan of Botanic Pharmacy until yesterday. It's a quaint wee number, very small, but stocks quite a bit. I've managed to pick up 99p hairbrushes (and yes, my hair is still very much intact), as well as some other bits and bobs, and have always been satisfied with my 'shopping experience'. Hmph, well not after my last visit.
I needed to pop in for some Zovirax (darn cold sore), so Botanic was the pharmacy of choice. When my sister and I arrived, there was a man perched on a seat, looking distinctly unamused, a blonde lady who kept picking up another item, and two more people in front of her. I could see the pharmacist on the phone while everyone stood there in complete silence. Eerie wasn't the word.
For two or three minutes, no-one dared make a sound, until the assistant came to the till and said "Who's next?". The first lady was waiting for a prescription, so the second stepped forward and had a very misanthropic conversation (if it could even be termed that) with Mr Personality (the sales assistant).
After this awkward engagement, it was the blonde lady's turn, but apparently she too was waiting for a prescription, so up my sister and I went. I told Mr Personality that I was looking for something for cold sores, like Bonjela. He gave the weirdest look and told me that Bonjela was for ulcers. I expected him to give me an alternative, but he didn't seem to have a clue, and started flapping around, asking the pharmacist (with phone glued to ear) where the cold sore creams were. I had spotted Zovirax whilst he was dandering around, thankfully, so I took that. £6.19 for a teeny tiny tube too. Dear heavens.
By this stage, I just wanted to get out of the pharmacy, so I bought it, flung it in my bag, and hoped that the next shop I ventured into would have a vastly improved customer service to what I had just experienced.
Three stars, purely because yesterday was a one-off...I hope. read more