A PHARMACY based at a busy health centre closed its doors unannounced yesterday.

Patients were left confused after a letter sent by the NHS to other local pharmacies stated that HBS pharmacy, based at Barbara Castle Way Health Centre, in Simmons Street, Blackburn, had closed.

The temporary closure was understood to be caused by an issue between the landlord and the tenant.

A spokesman for HBS pharmacy said: “We have not closed permanently.

“We experienced issues in the morning but we were back open and providing a normal service in the afternoon.

“The pharmacy is now open as normal, providing all the usual services.”

Community Health Partnership, who is the lead tenant at the health centre, said: “There was no security incident at the Barbara Castle Way this morning.

“The building is open as usual today.”

They refused to comment any further about the closure of the pharmacy, describing the matter as ‘confidential’.

Cllr Suleman Khonat, who represents the area and had an appointment at the medical centre during the closure, said: “There were two people waiting outside the pharmacy and I assumed somebody was late opening it up because of the snow.

“Both of them wore NHS badges so I assumed they were both staff.

“They kept looking in through the glass window and inside.

“When I left the medical centre 15 minutes later they were still there waiting.”

Cllr Hussain Akhtar, who also represents the area, said: “I don’t know too much about what happened.

“I visited the centre this morning and saw the doors were closed and there were people outside who weren’t allowed to go in.”

Blackburn with Darwen CCG said the closure was an NHS England issue.

NHS England refused to comment and said it was an issue between the pharmacy and the landlord.