IRELAND’S ONLY exclusively homeopathic pharmacy is to close its doors on Saturday.
Nelsons Homeopathic Dispensary has been trading on Dublin’s Duke Street, off Grafton Street, for 20 years. The pharmacy is part of Nelsons, the UK’s largest manufacturer of natural healthcare products.
Carrying about 2,000 homeopathic remedies, the Dublin shop prepared and supplied natural remedies for various ailments. Speaking about the closure, assistant manager Lisa O’Gorman said that Nelsons was predominantly a manufacturing company and having a retail store in Dublin was no longer part of the company’s strategic plan.
“The lease is up on the building here and Nelsons, our parent company, has taken the opportunity to review their standing in Ireland,” she said.
“There are certain economic factors as well, obviously the recession has affected us like everybody else. Rents are huge on this side of town and they don’t really want to get into committing to another lease.”
The closure of the shop will mean the loss of eight jobs. The company has just one other store, in London.
Ms O’Gorman, who has worked in the shop for 10 years, said the move would “take the public face of homeopathy out of Ireland”.
“A lot of people’s first introduction to homeopathy was coming here so it’s sad . . . there is the advice element too where people could come in and talk to a homeopath.”
She said Nelsons products would continue to be available in health food stores and pharmacies in Ireland. Irish customers will also be able to order the company’s homeopathic remedies online.
“We had a lot of people whose kids might have teething difficulties, coughs or colds and they’ve just been able to pop in and pick up a remedy. Now they’ll have to wait for the mail-order service from the UK.”
The store is offering 40 per cent off all products this week.
