It used to be billed as the home of the most easterly pharmacy in England.

But a Victorian chemist’s shop in Lowestoft High Street which served people in the town for nearly two centuries could soon have a new owner after it was put up for auction by its owners. It was reported a year ago that the business at 59 High Street – then run by Boots – was closing its doors amid growing competition from other outlets.

Now, the shop is to be auctioned by William H Brown on August 1 with a guide price of £80,000 to £100,000.

The shop originally opened in 1807 at a time when opium was used for pain relief and cocaine lozenges were dispensed for sore throats – and it still boasts period features from its 1900s heyday.

It closed last July and its owners Anthony and Helen Wren, who ran the pharmacy for 12 years before it was taken on by Boots, have decided to sell the property.