DEMAND for prescriptions in a town has increased so much residents have claimed their local pharmacies cannot cope.

A number of residents in Waltham Abbey have called for a new pharmacy to open in the town at Tesco's amid claims the existing Lloyds pharmacies are over-worked.

Mother-of-three Angie Schooling, 33, of Roundhills, Waltham Abbey, said she was so fed up with waiting at Lloyds, which has branches in Sun Street, and Market Square, she would start a petition for a new supermarket pharmacy.

She said: “I know residents in Waltham Abbey don't want Tesco's to have a monopoly on the town but we have to address the needs of the community. Quite clearly Lloyds just can't deal with the customers they have got.

“The waiting time is ridiculous. I'm a child minder and three weeks' ago I had five kids with me. My little boy had tonsillitis and they said I had to wait one hour. I said : 'You expect me to wait in your tiny shop for an hour while you reach for a bottle of medicine?'

“You only have to stand outside Lloyds for ten minutes to hear the complaints. They quite clearly can't cope. I've got a double buggy and you can't fit it in. People with mobility scooters can't get in.

“There's three doctors' surgeries opposite Tesco. Surely it's common-sense for a planning officer to look at the situation?”

Tesco's applied for a pharmacy at its Sewardstone Road store in 2005 but had planning permission turned down amid concerns it could take away business from the town centre.

Councillor John Collier said: “The town shops already struggle to make a living. More and more shops are on the brink of going out of business. Before we know where we are, the town centre will just be full of coffee houses and takeaways. This is not good for our town. If Tesco are given the consent to have a pharmacy, people will then not need to come into Sun Street.”

Waltham Abbey Neighbourhood Action Panel chairman Bill Davies has written to the town council calling for a debate on the subject after several of his members raised it as a concern.

He said: “It was clear at the WANAP meeting that the situation has changed from that which existed when Tesco's came here.”

Lloyds has said it will comment tomorrow (Tuesday).