There are people who are afraid to go in there now. They are also frightened of reprisals if they make any sort of official complaint (the man threatened to break a customer's legs if they (in his own words) 'slagged him off', online or anywhere else. I believe the place is independently owned and not part of a big chain like Lloyd's or Rowlands. The prices are there for all to see, written on every item in the shop. But I dare say the intimidating behaviour would be denied and his small number of staff would probably back him up. Ripping ordinary folk off is bad enough, but threatening members of the community is also beyond both comprehension and contempt. Thanks for the advice and replies. When the place opened, it was bigged up by the local press and a couple of councillors as being 'the hub of the community' and stuff like that. When it turned out to be anything but. I have voted with my feet and would rather go anywhere else than buy anything off them. I can only advise my friends and neighbours who have fallen foul of them do the same and go elsewhere. Oh, and they also sell Co-Op baked beans and other tinned Co-Op goods that are actually newer and cheaper at the Co-Op itself only three streets away.

It's about a half hour walk away. Not a problem for me, but for many OAPs who have no transport (especially in winter conditions) it could be a bit awkward. I boycotted the place ages ago. But the overcharging is still going on, nearly three years after I last bought anything from there. My neighbours have informed me that it's still a monumental rip off and that anyone questions this at their peril. The other pharmacy is a well known company and is very professional and properly priced. It's just the old 'uns and parents who want over the counter meds for their kids in the vicinity that are getting screwed over who I feel sorry for.

Good afternoon, There's a pharmacy in my area that puts their own prices on over the counter drugs and other items. RRP is never used and barcodes are never scanned. Prices are typed into the till by hand when every other shop uses a RRP/barcode scanner. The management and staff write their own prices on items in biro (in 2021!) and prices are usually almost double their official RRP. Say, an item that has a RRP of £2.50 will be priced by their own hand at £ 5.00. While a RRP £5.50 box of brand name tablets gets sold for over 8 or even 9 pounds. This has been going on for a while now and it was in practice long before the Covid pandemic and the lockdown (at least since 2018). Who writes prices (and expensive ones) on well known branded items in the 21st Century? It's just very wrong and highly unethical. I have worked in retail at a major establishment, and I know that putting prices on goods went out years ago. A RRP can be increased slightly in some cases by some shops, but never twice its original value. And when a customer enquires about why these prices are written on and why they're so expensive, all hell breaks loose. When anybody points this overcharging out to the shop's owner/manager/pharmacist, he responds in a rude and aggressive manner. Even being verbally abusive and making actual threats of violence (what he said to one customer was obscene and very menacing). There are a lot of elderly people in this area and they should not have to pay way over the odds if they want something like Lemsip or Eye drops. They should also not be or feel intimidated for having their own opinions and voicing genuine concerns about consumer rights. Any advice would be welcome. Regards to all, Dedkool.

Hello, This is the first time I have written to you, but you came highly recommended and I do need some advice. I am a kidney patient (CKD Stage 4) and I was told in no uncertain terms that I was in the high risk category during the Covid-19 crisis and that I had to strictly self isolate. I have been doing this to the letter. However, I am being constantly pestered on the phone by a company who are supposed to help me but they are only out to help themselves. Despite my condition I try to lead as normal a life as possible and (until the virus) looked for a suitable work position. My Jobcentre referred me to a company called Ingeus and their 'Work & Health Programme'. They were supposed to help me with both work and health issues and quite frankly they haven't. I shall tell you of my initial experiences with them and then why are they bothering me so much now. When I first went to see them I was astounded by both their lack of concern and how they viewed people like me. The person I saw did the following: 1. Did not know what CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease) was. The 'Key Worker' simply asked 'What's that?' 2. Showed little to no concern when told about CKD and what is was. 3. Did not even look at any of the Hospital or Consultant paperwork, official symptoms list (done by GP) or Doctor's dictation I brought with me as evidence of health condition. 4. Did not ask about any symptoms or medication, or how it affects day to day life. 5. Because CKD is an unseen physical condition - as opposed to a visible disability or a problem like drug addiction, alcoholism or anxiety - I did not feel it was taken seriously. In fact, I know I wasn't. 6. Although the scheme is titled the Work and Health Programme, I believe that little to no emphasis was put on actual health issues (which I genuinely have) and was told that medical records, Hospital paperwork, medication details and test results were not needed. The 'Health' part of the scheme's title seems to have little to no relevance. 7. It appears blatantly to be more about fulfilling targets and getting people into work - any work - regardless of health issues or individual cases. I was made to feel more like a 'rank and file' nobody and malingerer, instead of a person seeking employment as best and as suitably as possible in my situation (which I have done). 8. Saw another 'health professional' there (separate to the person I had already seen) and they also didn't know what CKD was and ignored any official medical notes, tests or paperwork. All but ignored his list of symptoms and did a pointless 'ice breaker' session where they wrote 'key words' on a board. 9. Every time I go there I am greeted with a 'friendly face', yet the minute I sit down I am never asked how my medical situation is. I am then immediately shoehorned into either taking a job I either can't do or don't want. In fact, the last time I saw them in person, I only went in to tell them about a hospital appointment and I had no official scheduled appointment with them. But the 'key worker' still got hold of me and immediately tried to shoehorn/press gang me into a job answering phones to Covid-19 victims. I also told them I was looking for part time work on Doctor's orders, but the key worker still puts me forward for full time jobs and pressures me into applying for them. My requests about part time work were totally ignored. 10. This is the most disturbing part for me. When discussing who and what to apply for, the Ingeus employee told me not to mention my CKD to any potential employer. Not only is this dishonest, it is also very morally questionable. If I do not tell any company or business about my condition then I would be lying to them, and the so called Work & Health Programme actually encouraged me to do this. If I suffered an injury, fell ill or even died on work premises or doing a job I wasn't capable of doing, it would be unfair on the business involved, unfair on me and unfair on my loved ones. Obviously they want me to be untruthful so I will get work -any work- and they can cross another off their quota list and gain their commission and financial bonus (which is what they do). That is highly questionable behaviour that borders on moral bankruptcy. I have now been in self isolation since March and my health has gone up and down in that time. I am also scared of getting Covid 19. I have both original and recently updated official paperwork to confirm my symptoms and my high risk and self isolating status from both doctors and the kidney hospital. The official announcement from JCP is that the centre is still closed , face to face meetings are still officially cancelled and also that all claims will be as normal until further notice. I was also told personally during my last visit to them in March of the situation and my work coach personally advised me to self isolate and that she was aware of my high risk status before I even got any paperwork from the doctors or the hospital. They told me to observe the then imminent lockdown and that they would let me know if there were any changes. The Jobcentre themselves told me to 'hold fire' and not do anything until the pandemic was officially over. However, the person who works for Ingeus is still contacting me by phone and trying their tricks. Every time I am pestered about doing 'online courses' and every time I decline (I am University educated and have up to date IT certificates). Yet they do this every time (I presume they also get commission for this sort of 'recruitment'). Another time during the lockdown there was an attempt to get me to 'work from home'. How could I do that if I am under strict self isolation? Then there was another incident that annoyed me immensely. The 'key worker' treated me like a schoolboy. When I (yet again) declined an 'online course' the key worker said 'Well, you find time to play your computer games, young man!' First of all, it is not their business or their place to comment on anything I might not might not do in my own private and personal time. Second, I do not even know why they said that. As I do not play computer games and I never have done. I believe this was a discriminatory generalisation that all 'young men' are lazy, drink beer (again, I don't drink) and sit around on Playstations. That sort of intrusion and patronising attitude is simply unacceptable. And I am a grown man, not a 'young man'. I am currently quite unwell at the moment (kidney related), and a message was left with the Ingeus worker telling them this. Yet they have still bombarded the phone with a ludicrous amount of messages. I think they think I am daft and that I am soft touch and an easy target. Which is both insulting and outrageous. This key worker also phones at any time they like. Even after 7:00pm. I find this both intrusive and inappropriate behaviour. The Doctors, the Jobcentre and everyone else know there is little I can do during this lockdown and during self isolation and being in the high risk category. Yet this Ingeus person still continues to bother me and will do almost anything to get their commissions during this lockdown. I know that they are not doing this for my benefit, as they have shown no concern about my condition previously. I am just about surviving during this isolation, but I am finding their constant pestering and attempts to gain a commission at my expense a little stressful now, which I really don't need at this time. The fear of catching the virus is bad enough and I do not need or welcome this extra pressure. Are they allowed to do this sort of thing during a lockdown? Are they breaking rules? And I wonder, just how many more people are they doing this to? Any advice would be appreciated. Stay Safe Dedkool