A Twickenham pharmacist fears for the future of his chemist shop after the government announced it intends to abolish Retail Price Maintenance on over-the-counter medicines.

Mukesh Shah, who runs Goodes Chemist in London Road, is also head of the Local Pharmaceutical Committee.

He said: "This decision will have a very adverse affect on us. We will not be able to compete with the bulk buying of large supermarkets."

But it is not just the loss of trade that Mr Shah is concerned with, the loss of a nearby pharmacist will mean a bigger queue at the doctor's surgery.

"Because of our expertise we are able to treat many minor ailments without the person going to the doctor. If we go, so does that service.

"There is also the real danger of people taking the wrong medicine and making themselves worse which will in turn cost the NHS more. I do not know how many pharmacists in this area will suffer but nationwide the figure is 3000."

MP Vincent Cable voted against the government on this issue saying afterwards: "There is strong feeling amongst the pharmacists a valued community resource will be sacrificed.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.