Rajan Gupta addressed concerned residents at the Oakenshaw Neighbourhood Forum last Thursday, after months of speculation and rumours about his plans.

As reported in the Guardian and Herald in March, supporters of the new pharmacy, which will replace the Future Off Licence in Bradford Road, hit back at "scaremongers" and "misinformed members of the public" who were circulating rumours about Mr Gupta's new pharmacy, due to open this summer.

At the time, Coun David Warburton (Lab, Wyke) and chairman of the Oakenshaw Residents' Association David Rhodes said they fully supported the new pharmacy and Coun Warburton explained the procedure for issuing methadone.

But at last week's forum, at Woodlands Cricket Club, Mr Gupta said he would not be issuing methadone.

He said: "There have been a lot of rumours going around that I am going to open a methadone clinic, but in fact I won't have any methadone customers at all.

"It will purely be a community pharmacy, offering a number of services including cholesterol testing, diabetes testing and advice, travel advice and blood pressure checks – no needle exchange, no methadone, no Subutex.

"Someone has also been spreading rumours that I have paid money to councillors and chairman of the Oakenshaw Residents' Association, David Rhodes.

"I have a right to apply for a pharmacy and it is upsetting that a name like David Rhodes has been tarnished by these people. This is spoiling the name of someone who wants to do good in the community.

"I haven't paid money to anyone – I would never do that."

But residents were still angry about the plans.

One man said: "You have the opportunity to dispense methadone and we've only got your word for it that you won't. It is common decency that you let people know what is going on."

Coun Warburton said: "It is our understanding through the primary care trust that Mr Gupta would have to apply for a regulatory licence to be able to dispense methadone."

Mr Gupta added: "There is no way I am dispensing methadone. I won't apply for the licence because I don't want to do it.

"I do not want to upset the community. I am happy to lose two per cent of my business in order to keep the other 98 per cent which is you guys. I need you guys – you are my customers."

But people were worried that if the pharmacy did not make enough money Mr Gupta would start issuing methadone.

The chairwoman of governors at Woodlands Primary School said: "I think that a lot of information has been muddled up and what I want to know, is if you do decide to apply to issue methadone, how will we find out about it?"

Mr Gupta pledged to put it in writing that he would not be issuing methadone.

He added: "The service I will be offering is good for the community. It will be a pharmacy as we know it and it will serve the local community."

Mr Gupta said he hoped the pharmacy would be open by August this year.