John Bell & Croyden

London, United Kingdom

3.8

Closed now

11 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

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Telephone:
+44 20 7935 5555
Website:
www.johnbellcroyden.co.uk
Address:
50-54 Wigmore Street, London, United Kingdom, W1U 2AU
Marylebone
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
720 ftOxford Circus Vere Street
780 ftBond Street
900 ftOld Cavendish Street
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Bussiness info

Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Accepts Apple Pay
No
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes

Today

Today 8:30 am – 7:00 pm
Closed now
Local time (London) 7:14 AM Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Business hours

Monday 8:30 am – 7:00 pm
Tuesday 8:30 am – 7:00 pm
Wednesday 8:30 am – 7:00 pm
Thursday 8:30 am – 7:00 pm
Friday 8:30 am – 7:00 pm
Saturday 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Our Pharmacy is the «heart» of the store, providing a full range of NHS, and private dispensing, «over the counter» medicines and extended services including healthcare advice and information, medicine use reviews, on-​line doctor and an extensive range of specialist health checks.

The Vitamins, Minerals & Supplements department offers probably the largest range in London, with herbal, homeopathic and special dietary products combining to provide our customers with the widest possible range of holistic nutritional solutions.

The Medical Electricals and Independent Living departments offer products for both medical professionals and the general public, including mobility aids, surgical and sports supports, home diagnostics, independent living, incontinence, surgical instruments and medical sundries.

The Skincare and Beauty area offers an extensive range of skincare and beauty products, including a growing range of exclusive /​specialist products from across the globe.

And more

History

Established in 1798.

1798 John Bell opens his pharmacy on Oxford Street

1841 His son, Jacob, launches «The Pharmaceutical Journal», one of the few technical periodicals of the time

1842 Jacob Bell founds the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain — now the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain

1849 Ownership passes to Jacob Bell on the death of his father

1859 Upon the death of Jacob Bell, leaving no heirs, ownership passes to his partner, Thomas Hyde Hills, then to his son William Hills.

— The business develops both as retailer and wholesaler.

1903 John Bell & Croyden is formed with the amalgamation of the business with Charles Croyden & Co

1909 John Bell & Croyden is first granted a Royal Warrant

1912 moves to its current location on Wigmore Street, opened by the Lord Mayor of London.

Visit our website to find out more about our recent history.

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Vicinity

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John Bell & Croyden 50-54 Wigmore St
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11 reviews of John Bell & Croyden

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Place rating: 1
London, United Kingdom
This shop has declined in the last year since the old dead wood management pushed out the hard working team that were responsible for the refit. The shop looks impressive but the old miserable staff are here. The girls in the beauty area have appalling customer service skills and the staff are generally lazy and rude! The senior management are an absolute joke! I no longer shop here and wouldn’t recommend to anyone!
Place rating: 1
London, United Kingdom
The shop itself is very good, but the customer service is terrible. You often have to wait 10 minutes to get served at the till, when there are other members of staff doing nothing.
I decided to use the mail order service instead. Two and a half weeks later I’m still waiting for items that were ‘in stock’. I’ve called and nobody answers the phone, ever. I’ve tweeted and had a reply three days afterwards, however unhelpful. You also can’t get a reply via email unless you wait a couple of days. Anyway, my parcel was delivered to the wrong address twice and they don’t give you tracking either. After all this, I’m still waiting, and am none the wiser what is happening with my order.
Place rating: 1
London, United Kingdom
This used to be a pharmacy where you stepped back in time. Glorious swansdown powder puffs in pastel shades from Paris. Nail buffing powder, cosmetics, creams, potions and badger hair toothbrushes.
Now all has changed. The powder puffs are banished in favour of anti ageing gunk. The cosmetics are no longer there and a large area of the shop is devoted to hideous sports clothes.
Fortunately we obtained the badger hair toothbrushes and left without spending any more money.
Miserable experience, somewhat typical of the Oxford Street area.
Place rating: 5
Melbourne, Australia
Perhaps the nicest pharmacy in London, if not the world. I agree with the other Unilocalers, John Bell & Croyden seems to be too posh, too sophisticated, too decadent to be real.
What kind of pharmacy has plush carpeting and wood panelling and classical music piped in? Yes, John Bell & Croyden is the kind of place that makes you feel like you need to wear a suit to buy a tube of toothpaste.
Nevertheless even in my shabby attire of jeans and a simple t-​shirt, I found the service to be quite friendly and helpful and I found quite a few products that I couldn’t find at Boots. Indeed, there is a wide range of personal grooming appliances (electric toothbrushes etc), a whole section of just plasters, and a few endless isles of grooming products from around the world. The best news… I didn’t notice the prices to be much (if) higher than any of the high street chemist chains. Who subsidises the plush carpeting will remain forever a mystery.
Yes, 5 stars for a pharmacy seems rather absurd, but if you get a chance to visit you’d easily agree this is the most luxurious pharmacy in London.
Place rating: 5
London, United Kingdom
I love this store every time I visit London, I always go for shopping at John Bell and Croyden near St. Christopher’s place and Oxford street market. Excellent service and low prices when compare prices with Athens and Greece .
Always, I use UK e-​shops for shopping when I am not staying in London even for two days on business trip.
Antonios Michalopoulos
Athens– Greece
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
I sprained my wrist and was looking all over London for a wrist splint and was having trouble finding a size small wrist splint — John Bell & Croydon had 4 types of wrist splints and every sort of physiotherapy equipment you could need. The store is pleasant and has a variety of beauty, health and exercise equipment and many items were offered at relatively reasonable prices!
Place rating: 5
London, United Kingdom
I love this store, you can buy anything from lip salve to surgical equipment, wheelchairs. Has a pharmacy so you can collect your prescriptions.
Stocks lots of cosmetics, brands (Clarins, Crabtree and Evelyn), and rather bizarrely my dogs anti-​flea treatment!
You can pick up some unusual gifts here.
Place rating: 5
London, United Kingdom
The best chemist in London without a doubt. An aladins cave of all sorts of bits and pieces.
Place rating: 4
London, United Kingdom
This place is so much more fun than Boots! I had never heard of this pharmacy before, but the other night, I was walking along Wigmore Street and in need of ear plugs and found this place.
If you are used to the ever so cheap feel of say, Superdrug, you should come here. It feels so high end, if that is possible for a pharmacy. While it does everything that you will find in a Boots it has so much else going for it.
First, it has classical music piped in while you shop. There is a full range of health products, such as aromatherapy, and vitamins, as well as fitness products that I only ever see on shopping channels. Towards the back of the shop were all the mobility products and surgical aides. I don’t normally loiter in pharmacies but I could have spent hours here. I got my earplugs by the way.
Place rating: 5
London, United Kingdom
This is a brilliant chemists, the Queens chemists no doubt. Along with the usual chemist products, there is a large section of colognes that cannot be easily found elsewhere, a large department specialising in disability-​orientated products for every problem, and a large alternative medicine section. The entire shop is wheelchair-​friendly, and has very friendly staff, who know more than your average chemists.
Place rating: 5
London, United Kingdom
I love this shop! It sells loads of high end toiletries and has a large section of disability aids and equipment, and a disturbing array of surgical instruments, (a must for the serial killer wannabe!)
But the standout reason I love this shop is the game play; Spot the celebs in disguise! I have seen sooo many.