Whitworth Chemists, a family-owned chain of pharmacies in the North of England, is to sell all of its 34 branches following a strategic review.

Broker Christie & Co, which is handling the sale through an initiative titled Project Thorpe , said the family shareholders had decided to sell the entire business, which currently includes a dedicated office providing centralised support to the business and MHRA -approved warehousing facilities.

The 34 pharmacies up for sale are a mix of high street and health centre pharmacies “stretching from Blackpool in the west to Skegness in the east, and up to Newcastle in the north east,” said Christie & Co. Dispensing volumes range from 3,000 to 22,000 items per month with an average monthly volume of 8,500.

The chain was established in 1999, 32 years after John Whitworth started a pharmacy wholesaling business. Bids will be invited “on a group, subgroup or individual basis,” said Christie & Co.

Whitworth Chemists managing director and superintendent pharmacist Jay Badenhorst commented: “Whitworth Chemists has built a strong business over the last three decades, delivering a range of quality pharmacy services to a wide patient group across the North of England.

“The business benefits from an amazing, dedicated team delivering first-class pharmacy services daily. However, the time has come for the family shareholders to step back from the business, thereby offering a great opportunity for a new purchaser or purchasers to continue to build on the enviable reputation we have created.”

Christie & Co’s Jon Booth added: “We are delighted to have been engaged by the family and shareholders of Whitworth Chemists Limited in this exciting project.

“Rarely does a group of this size and quality come to market and be offered for sale on a group, subgroup or individual pharmacy basis, and we expect a significant interest to be generated for the pharmacies.”