Boots closing 160 fILM d&p lab sites

[Mark101]

I see Boots are set to remove 160 film D&P labs from shops shortly due to low demand. A great loss indeed,

[LargeFormat]

and so soon after pleading that it wasn't general policy......

[Chris Cool]

Boots is not a charity. Time to move on me thinks

[Zou]

Time to move on me thinks

Yes, to proper labs and home development. Why do I get the impression that's not what you meant?

[Benchista]

I see Boots are set to remove 160 film D&P labs from shops shortly due to low demand. A great loss indeed,

If they're not getting sufficient throughput to keep quality standards high, then for me it's actually no loss at all.

[taxor]

Sad and a sign of the times but maybe we'll see a resurgence in DIY colour processing? As an aside, I recently had some negs processed at Max Spiellman in Lancaster. Very impressed with the results. Let's hope they don't decide to close up any time soon.

[P_Stoddart]

Might be also they are finding getting support for C41 technology is getting more difficult.

Heading toward niche and specialised.

Let's hope someone does keep making film camera food.

[nimbus]

Not surprising really, with the large reduction in film use it makes sense to concentrate on central sites for d&p. Machinery run regularly should produce more consistent results than if used sporadically. Removal of a service due to low demand can hardly be described as a great loss.

[IvorETower]

Removal of a service due to low demand can hardly be described as a great loss.

+1. My local Tesco Extra lost its one hour photolab some months ago now. Films have to be sent off, and there is a sign expecting you to have to wait at least a week for the results. My local Boots still has its machine but I hardly ever see anyone handing a film in for processing, and some of the nearby stores that used to have in-shop d&p machines got rid of them a long time ago

[P_Stoddart]

Not surprising really, with the large reduction in film use it makes sense to concentrate on central sites for d&p. Machinery run regularly should produce more consistent results than if used sporadically. Removal of a service due to low demand can hardly be described as a great loss.

Agreed, the chemical are not made to sit around for weeks waiting for the odd customer.

I had to build up E6 shot film to get maximum value out of the chemicals.

Leave them around for too long was very effy.

Looking at the C41 developer chemistry it appears it made from Phenylenediamine which has other uses so could be around for a while. But of cause it will force users down the home processing route.

I wonder how far we are from all commercial 35mm film processing shutting down? 2, 4 or 5 years?

[spinno]

not used Boots for D and P since they bodged an order of mine up.
I know for a fact I didn't take the photos of the men without trousers or underpants....
I was using a camera that belonged to Mrs Spinno's aunt who had just died...and I loaded the film...the camera was an Agfa colourette or similar...can't remember now but it was in 1996

[P_Stoddart]

I know for a fact I didn't take the photos of the men without trousers or underpants....

Yes, but were the films correctly processed. You getting off topic.

PS: I was tempted to say exposed.

[spinno]

Yes, but were the films correctly processed. You getting off topic.

PS: I was tempted to say exposed.

no they weren't they were over-exposed...in more ways than one.
I was merely pointing out that they got my nice pictures of Leeds mixed up with some jokers "party snaps". If they can't get things like that right would you trust them and use them anymore...

[zzr1100]

just ask in the shrewsbury town branch of boots if they'd be stopping D&P, the girl behind the counter said no they wont be, because the D&P stuff was not on the shop floor taking up retail space..........

[swanseadave]

Some of the negs I`ve scanned recently were processed by Boots Swansea and were scratched along the entire film,albeit faint.
Now I always take my C41 to Colliers,a small friendly family business,top quality and reasonable prices.