A POPULAR business that has been looking after the health of residents across Furness for more than eight decades has been sold to a larger company based in the North West.
JN Murray Ltd, known locally as Murrays Pharmacies, has nine branches across Barrow and Walney, as well as two in Ulverston.
Others are located across Cumbria and in Lancaster.
But the firm is now owned The Cohen Group, based in Bolton, which has a network of chemists across the UK.
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It is understood the firm was never advertised for sale.
Instead, the acquisition took place earlier this year following an approach from bosses at The Cohen Group.
No-one from The Cohen Group was available to comment on the move.
The first Murray's Pharmacy opened its doors in Settle Street, Barrow, in the early 1930s by Norman Murray.
With the help of Norman's son Donald, the firm expanded over the years to its current size of around 150 employees – though it always remained in family ownership until now.
Today, there are branches in Barrow's Dalton Road, Ainslie Street, Anchor Road, Duke Street, Friars Lane, Rawlinson Street and Settle Street.
Cohen's Pharmacy sprung to life around 35 years ago with a single chemists shop in Bolton opened by brothers Yakub and Anwar Patel.
The pair have grown their business over the years – going on to own around 170 branches across the UK with most located in Lancashire and Yorkshire.
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