The business is expected to open in March
By Kirra Livingstone
MORE than a year following the closure of Montville’s only pharmacy, a new chemist is set to open its doors in the hinterland tourist town.
The pharmacy will open its doors in early March this year, which Montville Chamber of Commerce president, Shiralee Cooper, said she is looking forward to seeing this service come back to town.
“Locals will soon be able to visit their GP and take the script to the local pharmacy without leaving Montville,” she said.
“With free parking available behind the IGA, this will enable convenient access to the pharmacy.
“It is important to be able to cater for our local communities health needs within the village.”
The previous pharmacy on Main Street officially shut its doors on July 29, 2023, after the GP had been closed since February that same year.
Montville local, Dr Peter Herbert, then took over the reigns, reopening a medical centre in late November, 2023.
While the new pharmacy and established medical centre will rejuvenate health services in Montville, GC&M News discovered there is at least six shop spaces for lease on Main Street.
Shiralee said while some businesses in Montville are thriving, others are struggling.
“The actual tourism businesses have this good dynamic energy around there, but the more concerning area is the village square,” she said.
“After we lost our medical centre, the pharmacy was no longer financially viable, it just wasn’t sustainable.
“We had a couple of other allied health businesses nearby too and fell down, followed by the newsagency.”
Shiralee said despite having a small residential population in Montville and Mapleton, she urged locals to support the town’s businesses.
“There has been a fair bit of positive development but the Village Square is where we really need some new tenants, to get that area back to life” she said.
“The IGA is still going on pretty strongly there which is such a relief, and they’ve taken on some of the newsagency’s lines.
“With interest in other nearby shops in the Village Square, we look forward to the revitalisation of the local shopping precinct this year.”
kirra@gcnews.com.au