Boots tests work by Creative Hubs

Boots The Chemists has presented the fruits of its ongoing store modernisation programme, conceived by the company’s Creative Hubs in London and Nottingham.

The High Street Kensington store in London officially launched last Friday, featuring all the in- store elements that have been developed over the year. Consultancies in the hubs include the Boots roster groups Saturday, Household, Circus and Hosker Moore Kent Melia, along with the in-house design team, led by creative director Jon Turner.

Boots is undertaking a wave of modernisation across its estate. ‘The designs are customer-driven, not look and feel-driven. The Kensington store is a representation of all the work we have done so far,’ says store development director Dana Armstrong.

Refreshed signage is currently being trialled in the refitted stores. Armstrong says navigation should provide better directional clarity, rather than product personality. ‘It is important to keep making sure that the words [on signage] mean the same thing to customers as we think they do from a business perspective.’

Boots this week announced the appointment of Scott Wheway as retail director, responsible for the operation of its 1400 UK stores. Wheway will join the company from Tesco, where he is chairman of operations in Japan.

Parent company Boots Group this month agreed the sale of its dental and laser eye correction businesses to Optical Express. This allows it to focus on the core Boots The Chemists division, freeing up 15 000m2 of floor space, which will be converted to retail during 2005/6.

The company releases its first half financials tomorrow. Reports predict a decline of more than 20 per cent in pre-tax profits.