Armstrong's Pharmacy Gleadless: End of an era as family sells up after 67 years running Sheffield shop

After nearly 70 years, a family pharmacy which has been serving residents in and around Gleadless for generations, has been sold.

When Chris and Jane Armstrong’s family first opened up as Armstrong’s Pharmacy, there was no Supertram, National Service was still running, and there was still an RAF base just up the road at RAF Norton.

That was 1957. Now 67 years on, they are selling what has been a family business as they plan to retire.

Armstrong's Pharmacy was set up by Norman Armstrong in 1957. He was succeeded as pharmacist by his son Alan and his daughter-in-law Vicky.

Norman's grandson Chris Armstrong then took over as superintendent pharmacist, supported by his wife Jane, a registered pharmacy technician, at their shop at the junction of Gleadless Road and Ridgeway Road

The pharmacy has been bought by husband-and-wife first-time buyers, who are looking to expand the size of the pharmacy unit with additional consultation rooms, and to grow the services offered to the local community.

Chris said it was a big decision to sell their ‘multi-generational business’.

He said: “We had three viewings and three offers in the first few weeks of marketing, and it is pleasing that the new owners are a young, motivated husband and wife team with plans to enhance what we have done with the business as a family.

“We wish them all the very best and we are looking forward to our retirement.”

Tom Young, senior business agent at Christie & Co, the firm who sold the business, said: “We were delighted to be asked by the Armstrong family to help them with their retirement plans.

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“The business was a fantastic example of a well-run independent community pharmacy with good margins, a well-drilled team, and owners who really worked hard to provide top-class service to their community.

“Furthermore, the supply of these types of opportunities across South Yorkshire has been limited in recent years and, as expected, when we launched the business to market we were inundated with enquiries from first-time buyers and existing operators alike.

“We look forward to seeing the new owners take what the Armstrong family has built over many years and enhance that with their own ideas.”