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Pharmacies open in Ayrshire on Christmas Day and Boxing day

  • by NHSAAA
Hand reaching onto a shelf containing boxes of medicine

With GP practices being closed on Thursday 25 December 2025 and Friday 26 December 2025, residents of Ayrshire and Arran are being urged to check who to turn to if they need advice or support to cope with any common health concerns.

Some community pharmacies will remain open during this period and can answer questions on choosing and using the right medicine and provide easy-to-understand advice on treating everyday ailments. For information about how to access a wide range of healthcare services please visit the Winter Health Hub on our website – https://www.nhsaaa.net/services/services-a-z/healthhub/

NHS 24 also has a number of pharmacists who are able to answer medicine and pharmacy-related questions over the telephone on 111 or visit NHS inform (www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/prepare-for-winter/) for valuable advice on how to prepare.

Roisin Kavanagh, Director of Pharmacy explains: “You can do a number of things to make sure you are prepared to deal with common illnesses over the festive period.  Having a sufficient supply of medicines like paracetamol, sore throat and cough remedies will help to relieve the symptoms of common ailments.

“If you take regular medication, you should check your existing supplies and only order what you need to see you through over the holiday period.  It is also a good idea to make sure you know when your local GP practice and community pharmacy are closed.  Please also take into consideration the time required by your local GP practice and community pharmacy for processing prescription requests as this can add up to seven days”.

Under the Pharmacy First service, pharmacies can:

  • prescribe medication for you following a consultation*;
  • treat many women from age 16 for urinary tract infections*;
  • treat many patients for impetigo*;
  • treat patients over 18 for skin infections including infected insect bites*;
  • treat patients over 18 for shingles*;

(*where they meet certain criteria)

Many community pharmacies also:

  • provide your repeat prescriptions when your GP is not available (under certain circumstances);
  • give women advice and supply emergency hormonal contraception;
  • dispense prescriptions;
  • give advice, support and where appropriate, prescribe nicotine replacement therapy to those giving up smoking;
  • hold records of your medicines to ensure that the safety of any future medication is checked;
  • provide a private area to discuss sensitive issues;
  • give you advice over the telephone;
  • give you advice on the best way to take your medicines;
  • provide advice on travel health;
  • provide collection and delivery of prescriptions;
  • provide supervised methadone supply; and
  • needle exchange.

Wednesday 24 December 2025

Most pharmacies will be open as normal, except those listed below which will close early at 5.30pm:

East Ayrshire:

  • Doon Valley Pharmacy, 5 Cathcartston, Dalmellington
  • Boots Pharmacy, 63 Grange Street, Kilmarnock
  • Morrisons Pharmacy, West Langlands Street, Kilmarnock
  • Deans Pharmacy, 53 MacPhail Drive, Kilmarnock
  • Boots Pharmacy, 1 Doonside Avenue, Patna
  • Stewarton Pharmacy, 55 High Street, Stewarton 

North Ayrshire:

  • Davidsons Chemists, 18 Main Street, Dalry
  • Shergill Pharmacy, 36 Caldon Road, Irvine
  • Townhead Pharmacy, Station Plaza, Pennyburn Road, Kilwinning
  • Superdrug Pharmacy – 6B Aitken Street, Largs
  • Halliday Pharmacy, 5 Aitken Street, Largs
  • Morrisons Pharmacy, 4 Irvine Road, Largs

South Ayrshire:

  • Morrisons Pharmacy, Castlehill Road, Ayr
  • Seafield Pharmacy, 43/45 Blackburn Drive, Ayr
  • Stevenson Pharmacy, 131 Deveron Road, Troon
  • Willis Pharmacy, 15 Templehill, Troon

Thursday 25 December 2025

All pharmacies will be closed, except the following pharmacies:

East Ayrshire:

  • Shortlees Pharmacy, 16 Central Avenue, Shortlees, Kilmarnock from 11am – 1pm
  • Fenwick Pharmacy, 77 Main Road, Fenwick from 1pm – 3pm

North Ayrshire:

  • Boots Pharmacy, 27 Almswall Road, Kilwinning from 10am – 12noon
  • Boots Pharmacy, 22/24 High Street, Irvine from 12noon – 2pm

South Ayrshire:

  • Boots Pharmacy, 49 Academy Street, Troon from 12noon – 2pm
  • Ayr Pharmacy, 63/65 Alloway Street, Ayr from 2pm – 4pm

Friday 26 December 2025

All Pharmacies will be closed, except the following pharmacies:

East Ayrshire:

  • Davidsons Chemist, 4/8 Irvine Road, Crosshouse from 11am – 1pm
  • Morrisons Pharmacy, West Langlands Street, Kilmarnock from 1pm – 3pm

North Ayrshire:

  • Gallagher Pharmacy, 19 Dockhead Street, Saltcoats from 10am – 12noon
  • Boots Pharmacy, 1 Fullarton Square, Irvine from 10am – 2pm

South Ayrshire:

  • Rowlands Pharmacy, 29 Mount Oliphant Crescent, Ayr from 12noon – 2pm
  • Well Pharmacy, 10/12 Sandgate, Ayr from 2pm – 4pm

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