As many of you will know from the newspapers, the last few weeks at Napiers have been very traumatic.

It was with huge sadness that, on the 2nd of April, I had to put the company, Napiers the Herbalists Ltd, into liquidation.

Napiers, like many businesses, has been hit hard by the recession in Scotland and this, coupled with the changes in European legislation regarding the sale of herbal products, has had a big impact on the core business.

Over the past few months I have done everything possible to support the business, including closing the branch in Stockbridge and selling my own flat. Unfortunately, we did not get the bank support we needed to keep going.

As you all know, Napiers and our clinical practice is not just a job for me or for our staff, it is our whole life’s passion. And, with support, I have been able to save our clinics and dispensary at Bristo Place and Glasgow.

These will now be trading under the new company name The Edinburgh Herbal Dispensary. We will be able to continue using the Napiers name and over the next few months, we will be working hard to build back up this very local and very Scottish institution.  

All our therapists will continue to provide the fantastic service, dedicated to clinical excellence, that you have come to expect. I will still be making up all the original medicines and the traditional formula will still be made up in the dispensary. Due to the new EU legislation you might not be able to buy all of your herbs across the counter in other health stores but you will still be able to do so at Napiers, with our dedicated team of qualified practitioners able to source everything from our dispensary.

The support we have had from our patients and customers over the past few weeks has been truly amazing. People have given us flowers, baskets of fruit and good luck cards. This has made our fight worthwhile.

We plan to be here for the next 150 years practicing herbal medicine and complementary therapies and caring for customers and patients, both young and old.

Thank you, from all of us, for your continued support.

Dee