THE future of the few remaining independent chemists dotted across Craven could be in jeopardy if the Government agrees to scrap the limit on the number of pharmacies allowed to handle prescriptions.

The Office of Fair Trading recommended the limits be removed to introduce competition and improve services for consumers.

But, if the suggestion is approved by Government, it is estimated that more than 500 pharmacies could be opened in supermarkets across the country, bringing fierce competition to the independent chemists that have relied on the restrictions to survive.

Peter Marshall, of Craven Pharmacy on Caroline Square, Skipton, said the deregulation would sound the death knell for many small pharmacies as big supermarkets grabbed a greater share of the prescription market.

He said that the personal touch with customers and GPs' surgeries built up over the years would be lost if small and family run firms were replaced by big business.

OFT research showed that 85 per cent of people were happy with the distribution of pharmacies, said Mr Marshall. He asked why the office wanted to fix something that was not broken.

The regulations were introduced 15 years ago to ensure a rational distribution of pharmacies across the country, but this new proposal would contradict that effort, said Mr Marshall.

He added that deputy Prime Minister John Prescott had been pushing to retain attractive and busy high streets. But he feared it would be the nail in the coffin for some small town centres if power were given to supermarkets to open pharmacies in their out-of-town complexes.

Skipton currently has four pharmacies - Tescos, Boots, Lloyds and Craven Pharmacy. But Mr Marshall believes this could grow to seven if the plans go ahead.

He said: "They talk about more choice for the customer but if all the business goes to out-of-town superstores then who is going to cater in the high street for the people who haven't got a car, like granny and granddad and young mums with pushchairs?

"The consumer may think that seven would be better than four, but it wouldn't be sustainable in the long term."

Mr Marshall said Craven Pharmacy would not go bankrupt overnight but the deregulation would force him to limit his investment and look at staff levels.

John Vickers, the OFT general director, said the consumer would benefit with prices of over-the-counter medication falling as competition increased.

But Janet Gibbons, who runs Gargrave Pharmacy, thought the OFT report was a "smoke screen", initiated by the Government that wanted to justify imminent new contracts for pharmacists.

She said that when the current contracts were imposed in 1987 many small pharmacies were put out of business.

She added that there was already a severe shortage of pharmacists and if the estimated 500 new pharmacies opened and recruited staff, the situation would become even worse.

"I don't think Gargrave is under imminent threat from large pharmacy chains or supermarkets, but any new contract is bound to include cost saving measures and the small independents are the first to be sacrificed.

"Our core business is prescription dispensing. If they (local residents) take their prescription into the supermarket when doing the shopping, it will be the end of the local village pharmacy.

"We must bring it to the public's attention and leave the choice up to them to decide where they want pharmacies to be. Another supermarket aisle or pharmacies in their locality?"

Peter Redhead from Grassington Pharmacy said a chemist, a pub and a post office were essential to the core of every village.

"If one goes the heart of the village disappears," he added.