Business: Pharmacy moves to new premises

Welcoming Marton Pharmacy's shift to new premises in Broadway are key staff (from left) retail manager Christine Lewis, pharmacy manager Trudi Tutty and retail manager Gleeson Sewell. Photo/Bevan Conley

A new era has begun for Marton Pharmacy which has shifted a few doors down from its previous Broadway site into purpose-built premises.

Pharmacy manager Trudi Tutty said the move was prompted in part by the business owner Hamish Barham deciding to shift out of leased premises into a property he had bought.

"We've completed gutted this building and earthquake-proofed it, virtually rebuilt it, and then fitted it out as a purpose-built pharmacy," Ms Tutty said.

Wellington-based Mr Barham owns a number of pharmacies and Marton is one of those.

The pharmacy employs 14 staff but probably not surprising given it's the only one in the Rangitikei town and covers a broad catchment in the Rangitikei.

"We have a depot in Hunterville so we will fill out prescriptions and send them there for delivery. We also cover Edale resthome in Marton," Ms Tutty said.

The bulk of the staff are working in the dispensary, taking care of those areas as well as a large number of private patients who have their prescriptions prepared in blister packs.

"The plan to relocate has been around for about five years but I've been working for Hamish in this pharmacy for the last six months and basically the rebuilding has happened in that period," she said.

"It's a great building to work in," she said.

The pharmacy held its opening last Saturday. It will trade from 8.30am-5.30pm Monday to Friday and from 9am-midday on Saturday.