Health hub planned for former Boots store

An NHS health facility is planned for a former Boots store in Rotherham.

The proposals would transform the disused building on Effingham Street into a Town Centre Health Hub in two phases.

It would begin with the relocation of Abbey Pharmacy and have the potential to expand to offer a range of walk-in NHS services, according to Rotherham Council.

The authority acquired the site, which had stood empty since 2022, in May 2024 as part of plans to take over underused town centre properties for regeneration efforts.

Phase one of the project would see Abbey Pharmacy relocate from Howard Street, freeing up space ahead of redevelopment works at the Indoor Covered Market, due to begin in February 2026.

Phase two would involve refurbishing the rest of the three-storey building to accommodate GP and other health services, directly accessible to the public.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, council officers have said they are already in talks with healthcare providers interested in occupying the space.

To pay for the works, the council proposes reallocating funds from the Pathfinder programme originally earmarked for a town centre music venue.

Around £1.3m would fund phase one, with a further £400,000 to support feasibility studies and detailed designs for the second phase.

The council hopes the project could ease pressure on existing NHS facilities and improve footfall in the town centre.

It has been inspired by a similar scheme in Barnsley, where a community diagnostic centre in the Glassworks has been credited with attracting extra visitors, additional spending and cutting levels of missed appointments due to its proximity to public transport.

The Health Select Commission will be updated on the plans ahead of Rotherham Council's cabinet formally considering the scheme on 7 July.

The commission will be asked to support the cabinet's expected recommendations to move forward with phase one, unlock the initial funding, and enter negotiations with interested health providers for the wider second phase.

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