FORBES Pharmacy in Grant Street has won a Certificate of Excellence in the 1999 Community Pharmacy of the Year Awards.

The awards, which are sponsored by the pharmaceutical giant Smithkline Beecham, are designed to recognise “an outstanding level of service and advice given to the local community”. Some 260 pharmacies throughout Britain were entered by their loyal customers.

“It wasn’t just a question of ticking answers in a box,” Andrew Green told News & Views. “People had to actually sit down and write a letter. So we are very pleased that so many went to the bother to show their appreciation.”

Andrew and his wife Emma are joint owners of Forbes Pharmacy, named after the previous owner, Merkinch stalwart Charlie Forbes – a hard act to follow. It is only three years since Andrew took over at No.54, but in that time he has shown himself a worthy inheritor of the pharmacy’s fine tradition. Indeed, as some may remember, when he was a young pharmacist Andrew worked with Charlie for a while. Andrew and Emma have a son, Callum, and an addition to the family is expected sometime this month.