Benjamin Chemist, Stoke Newington, London

One of the friendliest and most helpful chemists in Stoke Newington.

Recently I had difficulties finding a particular over-the-counter medicine without gelatin in, but they were happy to read through the small print and found one for me within minutes.

They also offer to order things in for you if they don’t have them in stock – even a particular flavour of cough sweet!

I’d go to Benjamin’s before any of the other chemists in Stoke Newington. The only negative is that this year they didn’t stock the generic form of the hayfever medication I prefer, and the branded product is way more expensive, so I went to Boots to stock up on that one for half the price.

You’d think you’d have nothing to say about a chemist. And that’s very true. They all do much the same thing in much the same way. Accordingly this one is no different. All the little things you need are there. Even some curious little vibrating things in the condom section which I really wouldn’t have expected.
I have one issue with this place though – actually it’s a greater issue about living in the UK as opposed to Australia. It relates to the ability to certify or notarise a document. This means that someone looks at the original and then at your copy and puts a little stamp on it to say they are the same thing.
In Australia this service can be done easily and simply by pharmacists, doctors, nurses and a great list of other people. Basically registered professionals. This has not caused our world to fall apart.
Over here, officially this service can only be done by a JP, or Magistrate. But in actual fact it CAN be done by almost all the people that can do it in Australia.
I went in here to have some documents notarised and the pharmacist made a huge fuss about it. He eventually agreed to do it, like we were both in cahoots to rob a bank or something, but insisted that I put a ten pound donation in the charity box per document. Getting those documents done was very important to me, it would enable me to work and contribute to society. His role is to facilitate this process. As far as I’m concerned getting money out of me to perform a necessary social service is extortion. How does he know what I give to charity or how much money I can afford without starving?
As I say, otherwise a decent chemist.