I miss Maceys (sighs deeply) - Lloyds is nowhere near the same

[Curmudgeon]

The product range is dull and predictable

The staff are far less helpful with zero empathy which for a pharmacy is a big negative in my opinion

(I know things change .. and fish suppers for tuppence ha'penny .. and I remember when all this was fields too)

[EDmummy]

I absolutely agree. I've stopped going in there. Maceys used to hold much larger stock of some very good products and the pharmacist himself was always incredibly helpful.

[Marmora Man]

Agree - tho' the staff that continue from Macey's are still helpful.

[redjam]

I'm going to be contrary and disagree! I think the shop refit is much brighter and easier to navigate (especially with a buggy), the new direct pick-ups of repeat prescriptions from the docs saves me loads of time, and I've always found the staff there absolutely fine. There's also a private consultation room there (which I'd not noticed before the refit) which saved me a trip to the docs recently. And I've not missed any of the rather quirky range of stuff that has got dropped with the takeover. Just me?

[Curmudgeon]

the direct pick-ups of repeat prescriptions are left over from Maceys

the new staff are gruff and unapproachable

but I agree about the spacey refit with reference to buggies I suppose, although we always managed back in the day

[Michael Palaeologus]

I have found the opposite. Ordering my regular prescription from Maceys was like Groundhog Day - "I cant find the prescription, have you ordered from us before? Are you sure? I will look again, which surgery was it again? Oh, The Gardens, I cant actually find your prescription, when did you order it? did you come in? over the phone? etc, etc, etc". Every time I called them.

The new lot have these amazing things called a computer and a system - which work.

[Sue]

Back in the day Macey's would get anything in for you which they didn't have in stock - Lloyds won't.

I needed a strap thing for tennis elbow which King's couldn't supply but said I could get from a pharmacist. Lloyds just told me they couldn't order it.

But I still go there because it's convenient, I've found the staff OK, I don't like the Co-op and I don't like that pharmacy at the Goose Green end of LL - the only time I went in there they were just plain rude.

[slummymum]

I was concerned recently when I rushed back from work and arrived there 7.15pm (it was late night opening) to collect a much needed prescription. The woman at the till asked if I could come back the following day as to make up my prescription might mean they had to stay past closing time. However my prescription had been faxed over by the GP hours earlier because I really needed it to stop symptoms getting a lot worse. They did -reluctantly - make up my prescription but I remain deeply unimpressed. Surely chemists too have a duty of care?

[HonaloochieB]

I liked the Macey's and Bil the pharmacist was a gent and helped me out on more than one occasion.

But I've found the new service and staff perfectly sound, there was one wibble with a prescription but the staff made every effort to put it right.

I've found the staff to be polite and helpful, though I don't place too many demands on them.

I turn up every two months for my drugs, and while I'm there I buy several packets of lemon flavoured Fisherman's Friends lozenges, whatever reduced price lip balm is going, a packet of two of bath salts, possibly some fancy-shmancy toothpaste and a bottle of Dettol.

They always do right by me.

[charliecharlie]

I still miss Biren, he so helpful and was great pharmacist, he seemed to be far more knowledgeble than any GP I've ever had... shame he couldn't write prescriptions! He was amazing when one of the people who was working for me chopped the end of her finger off with a scalpel... he dressed it for her and saved us a trip to A&E.. it got better in no time...

The staff, who are pretty much the same team, still seem just as helpful and polite... very nice people

I can still pretty much get everything I want from them, the things they don't stock any more I can get from Health Matters or Farmers... two other great local shops...

[Fuschia]

We have had problems recently.. they dispensed antibiotics we had ordered over the phone, left them on a shelf for a few days... not in the fridge... we had to go back and get them reissued.

[JDR]

The service with both has been good by me, my biggest gripe is that another big company bought out a small guy (and I totoally condone him, who wouldn't?) and the things that made it a successful small shop have been removed. The range of goods before was fantastic and now, not so much. Used to go every couple of weeks, since it changed, twice. Not really feeling loyalty to any of the east dulwich pharmacies, though the one at Goose Green does seem nice. The guy at fourways in Herne Hill gets my vote

[hpsaucey]

Ditto - second the mention of Fourways in Herne Hill - bit like Macey's used to be. Really miss the pharmacist - what a star! New lady pharmacist hasn't been too helpful when I've had questions for her.

[????]

Mr PharmacistMr pharmacist

Can you help me out today

In your usual lovely way

Oh mr pharmacist I insist

That you give me some of that vitamin c

Mr pharmacist

Dear pharmacist won?t you please

Give me some energy

Mr pharmacist

Hey mr pharmacist

I?ll recommend you to my friends

They?ll be happy in the end

Mr pharmacist can you help

Send me on a ?delic kick

Mr pharmacist

Dear pharmacist use your mind

You better stock me up for the wintertime

Mr pharmacist

Hey mr pharmacist

Words cannot express

Feeling I suggest

Oh mr pharmacist I can plead

Gimme some of that powder I need

Mr pharmacist

Dear pharmacist I?ll be back

With a handful of empty sack

Mr pharmacist

[HonaloochieB]

That's beautiful man.

[littleEDfamily]

It's not the same. Definitely not the same. The 'vibe' is different, perhaps due to hideous choice of flooring and blocking of natural light with sign. Not cosy, and definitely miss that nice chap who saved me many unnecessary trips to the GP.