Pharmacy chain Boots is searching for a new home after first moving to North Street 110 years ago.

Last week it was revealed luxury retailer John Lewis had bought the large department store-sized site in 129 North Street.

Boots said it was discussing its position with new landlord John Lewis but would remain in North Street for at least three years.

The North Street site opened in 1979 while a previous store in Western Road opened in 1928. 

According to Boots' own archives it had another store in North Street which opened in 1902. 

Andrew Caplan, divisional director of Boots UK, said: "Boots has been based on North Street for more than 110 years, helping the people of Brighton to feel good through our pharmacy, healthcare and beauty offer. 

“We are currently in discussions with the new landlord, however for the next three years we will continue in our current location.

“We remain committed to Brighton and will be looking for alternative premises.”

John Lewis confirmed the acquisition but refused to say whether it meant the luxury retailer was moving to Brighton, describing any plans as a “considerable way off”. 

However it is known the partnership has a long-held ambition to move to the city and has been searching for a suitable site for as long as 15 years.

John Lewis also denied the acquisition was part of a strategy to build up a property portfolio and said it was not policy to buy sites it did not eventually intend to develop.

As well as Boots, Krispy Kreme doughnuts (130 North Street) and Thomson holidays (130-131 North Street) would also be affected.

John Lewis was previously rumoured to be the anchor store at the redeveloped Churchill Square some 15 years ago.

More recently the group’s sister supermarket Waitrose took over the Co-op superstore in Hove, a deal rumoured to have increased house prices in the area by 10-15%.

But the purchase of North Street, apparently too small for a full-size John Lewis department store, has raised questions.

Tony Mernagh, executive chairman of the Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership, said: “John Lewis isn’t a company that is into speculative purchases akin to playing the stock market or gambling at Las Vegas.

"It isn’t the country’s most successful retailer because it is reckless, its strategy for expansion stretches years into the future and it may be that Boots will remain at the top of North Street well into the next decade.

"Or perhaps only until 2020 when its lease expires. In any event, John Lewis clearly has plans for Brighton.”

Another question is how the plans fit into the Standard Life development proposals for Churchill Square.

With the plans mooted to almost double the size of Churchill Square by extending it down to the sea, John Lewis or Boots could look to find a home at the new-look shopping centre.

Mr Mernagh added: “Does John Lewis intend to radically re-engineer the Boots store to make it a decent size and become a department store or occupy it like it is with a smaller John Lewis Home format?

“Or is the purchase a forward-thinking bargaining chip to get the best deal out of any revamped Churchill Square or a hedge against the redevelopment of Churchill Square never happening?”