The health and beauty retailer is closing the stores across its 2,400-strong store estate that are the least busy, with pharmacists from affected stores to be moved to busier branches.

It said the move was being made to make sure there are enough colleagues to play their “vital roles” where they were most needed.

Boots will be sending non-pharmacy colleagues that work in affected stores home, which includes 25 London stores and other stores in city and shopping centres, as well as airports and train stations throughout the UK that have been impacted by reduced footfall.