The closure of one of York's last family-run chemists has brought an era to an end.

Wroe's chemist in King's Square, York, which for the last half century has provided special potions, home-made cough medicines and a well-stocked traditional perfumery, is to close on May 30.

It is expected that a national chain chemist will take over the shop's dispensing duties, and the premises will be free for a new occupier.

The news comes as chemists across the region are steeling themselves for a damaging battle for business following a Government decision to scrap a price-fixing scheme for over-the-counter medicines.

The abolition of the Retail Price Maintenance system, which costs consumers about £180 million a year, is expected to lead to the price of drugs such as aspirin and paracetamol being halved.

Mike and Jacqueline Mendelsohn, who took over Wroe's in 1972 after a chat with Mr Wroe, who had run it for 25 years himself, said their decision to close the shop was so they would have more time to spend with their grandchildren.

Mr Mendelsohn said: "When we first started we had about three powder puffs and six tins of Yardley talc and all Mr Wroe's own medicines which he was famous for.

"I inherited his recipes then I added my own and I am afraid now York will have to survive without them."

After 25 years of sacrificing everything for the business, however, the Mendelsohns have made the difficult decision to retire.

Mr Mendelsohn, 59, said: "We watched our children grow up not really appreciating them.

"I think I would like to watch my grandchildren grow up."

Mr Mendelsohn, a keen musician who for the last 15 years has played with the City of York Guildhall Orchestra, plans to devote more time to his music in his retirement.

The move to scrap the price-fixing scheme for over-the-counter medicines announced by Board of Trade President Margaret Beckett has come under fire from Ryedale's Tory MP, John Greenway, and local chemist Ian Beecham, president of Malton and Norton Chamber of Trade.

Mr Greenway said: "A lot of chemists are up in arms because they have been campaigning against it."

Mr Greenway said local chemists feared that scrapping price maintenance would encourage supermarkets and chains like Boots and Superdrug to try to snap up a bigger slice of the business.

Mr Beecham, who runs chemist shops in Yorkersgate, Malton, and Commercial Street, Norton, added: "It's hoped that the Government will see sense and that Retail Price Maintenance in one form or another must be maintained on medicines.

"If you get people like the supermarkets competing on price for different medicines, people will sometimes get what is the cheapest and not necessarily the most appropriate medicine."

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