As the slow decline of Bristol’s first shopping centre nears its end, one store owner wants to reassure the community
06:00, 20 Jul 2026
Pharmacist Imran Ahmed at Knowle Pharmacy at Broadwalk(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach Plc)
The owner of the last pharmacy in Knowle said he wants to reassure people across the area that his pharmacy is not closing down any time soon, despite the imminent demolition of the Broadwalk Shopping Centre.
Last month, the last store in the Broadwalk Shopping Centre – the Superdrug – closed down ahead of the plans to level the entire site and build more than 500 new homes, including ten storey blocks of flats on the Wells Road.
The closure of Superdrug meant that thousands of patients had their pharmacy transferred to Knowle Pharmacy a few doors down. The NHS has now confirmed the pharmacy licence has been transferred to the Knowle Pharmacy, but the man who owns it said patients have contacted him worried that his business would have to close soon too, and they would have to find a new pharmacy for the second time in a matter of months.
But that isn’t going to happen, Imran Ahmed, from Viva, said. The owner of Knowle Pharmacy said that there are no plans to close down any time soon, and he was in discussions with the developers who have plans to turn the shopping centre into a new Redcatch Quarter development, about maintaining the pharmacy there all the time.
“Following the recent closure of the Superdrug pharmacy, NHS England has approved the transfer of the pharmacy licence to Knowle Pharmacy,” Mr Ahmed confirmed. “Over the coming weeks we’ll be welcoming thousands of patients who previously used the Superdrug pharmacy and ensuring there is no interruption to their NHS pharmacy services.
“We’ve owned this pharmacy for a couple of years,” he said. “We believed from the outset of the need for a strong pharmacy in the area.
Knowle Pharmacy at Broadwalk(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach Plc)
“There have been a number of businesses that have left the shopping centre. We still believe that there is a need for a pharmacy in that area, and the provision of healthcare services, so we’re not planning to go anywhere.
“We’ve seen the closure of the Superdrug store. So we are continuing to invest in the services that we can provide at the pharmacy and incorporate the patients that have had to move across.
“We’ve got a frontage on the main road, so we haven’t been affected by some of the issues that some of the other businesses in the shopping centre have had.
“We have had communications with the owner of the shopping centre. We plan to maintain that relationship and keep building it, and make sure that we are here for the long term,” he added.
“We’ve invested in expanding our services, are taking on the Superdrug patient list and are committed to ensuring local residents continue to have access to healthcare despite the wider changes taking place at Broadwalk.
“I appreciate redevelopment plans naturally create uncertainty, but we want local people to know they don’t need to worry about finding another pharmacy. I’d like to reassure local residents that Knowle Pharmacy is remaining open and that we’ve expanded our services to ensure patients affected by the Superdrug closure continue to have access to local NHS pharmacy services,” he added.
The Redcatch Quarter developers recently boarded up the bulk of the shopping centre and car park site, and a phased demolition is expected to begin this year. The hope among businesses on the Wells Road is that they will be able to stay open for as long as possible.
“We’ve been in communication with the Broadwalk ownership team and, whilst it’s still early days and there is nothing formal to announce, we’re keen to engage positively as the redevelopment plans progress.
“Our commitment is to ensure the Knowle community continues to have access to high quality local pharmacy services.
“Community pharmacy isn’t just about collecting prescriptions anymore,” Mr Ahmed said. “Patients can now access a growing range of NHS and private healthcare services through their local pharmacy, and we want Knowle Pharmacy to be at the heart of that, supported by modern technology and a strong local team,” he added.