Independence - getting unusual in the optical world

Being independent is a bit trendy these days. Support your local trader hashtags are plentiful, nobody like the global monsters do they? I would argue we are “proudly independent” and admit to being pretty quick to join in with a bit of multiple bashing.

Optics in the UK is in flux (not the confusing Dr Who kind) with lots of independents selling to the Hakim group - owned by Imran Hakim, an optometrsit and Dragon’s Den alumni getting investment in his iTeddy in 2007. Their portfolio is numbered in the hundreds now and in Sheffield they have taken on Daybell and Choo, Inman’s and Gage’s - that we know of. I say “that we know of”, as from the outside you would not know anything has happened - I think most customers are unaware. It’s not obvious whatt Imran’s plan is, taking on Specsavers seems ambitious, but it’s a big change in the industry that intrigues me. Friends tell me people who have joined his group are happy with their decision, I’ve not spoken to anyone in Sheffield about how it’s going or why they did it - as indicated above, it’s all quite hush-hush, so nobody is tweeting about thier change in status - I wish them luck.

I am not critical of those who have sold out. It’s hard running a business yourself (Brexit, covid, Amazon don’t help) and it is nororiously hard to get a price for that reflects all the effort and tears that have gone in. I would certainly never rule out selling if the price was right. But, being independent is a big deal and losing independence is a big deal. We chose all our suppliers, nobody is questioning our performance on KPIs and our ethos is ours alone. We are not “managed by Excel”, as I like to put it and besides they might make me take my Barnard Castle sign down!