One of two 24-hour chemists in WA claims it has become a casualty of the “stay-in generation” and is reducing its around-the-clock service in Mt Lawley after almost 20 years.

Dean Schulze, the co-owner of the Beaufort Street 24-hour Chemist, said changing market conditions — particularly the “Uber Eats and Netflix effect” — meant fewer people were venturing out late at night.

This had sounded the death knell for its 24-hour opening hours and from April 2 it will become the Beaufort Chemist and operate from 7am to 2am.

Mr Schulze said there was no continuing support for chemists in WA, unlike in Victoria, where the State Government subsidised pharmacies to stay open 24 hours a day.

He said his chemist had probably saved the WA Health Department millions of dollars over the years, with people coming in for medical advice in the middle of the night instead of going to a hospital emergency department.

“The after-hours part of our business has always come at a big financial cost to us but it’s one we’ve happily worn because the need was there,” he said.

“But times — and customers’ buying habits — are changing and we have to evolve.

“People don’t go out as much and we’re finding the 7pm-midnight trade is no longer enough to subsidise the overnights.”

Mr Schulze said the Victorian Government had spent almost $30 million rolling out 20 Supercare pharmacies operating 24-hour services across Victoria.

Government-funded services in those pharmacies included free after-hours nursing treatment, wound management, immunisations and referrals to other health experts.

Mr Schulze’s chemist had self-funded similar services in an urgent care nurse clinic, which would continue to operate from 6pm to midnight.