Boots the Chemist will close a Kent store this weekend as part of wider plans to “consolidate” the business.

The Northdown Road branch in Cliftonville, Margate, will serve its last customers on Saturday as the chain looks to axe 300 stores nationwide.

Bosses announced the wave of closures in June 2023 with Kent’s first branches – Albion Place and The College practices – facing the chop soon after.

The US owners of the pharmacy chain says the stores typically affected will be those two kilometres away from another Boots.

When announcing the closures a spokesman said no redundancies were in the pipeline.

Staff at the Northdown Road store are understood to have recently been redirecting customers to other branches for future prescriptions.

The firm still has locations in Margate town centre and Westwood Cross shopping centre, Broadstairs.

Councillor Alan Currie said losing Boots was a ”real shame” since become part of the furniture in his ward.

“It’s a real shame and a real loss to the area,” he said.

“Some of the larger shops are closing because of the costs. We’ve seen a few close and it’s a worry.

“We used to have a Primark, M&S, so this is just another loss of a larger shop.

“It’s a sign of the times.”

The Labour councillor added not everyone has access to a car to be able to travel to the other Boots store in Margate.

“It will certainly affect people who haven't got access to travel,” he said.

“Boots was an important shop on the high street.

“There are some new shops in Northdown Road which are opening but it’s nice to have a diverse selection and Boots was a standalone shop.

“It was like Woolworths. It’s an older shop that people have really come to use and support.”

Last year, Boots pharmacies at Albion Place Medical Practice and The College Practice in Maidstone closed.

The store in Northdown Road shuts at 4pm on Saturday, January 20.