Vision Express
 | This article may rely excessively on sources too closely associated with the subject, potentially preventing it from being verifiable and neutral. (February 2018) |
 | |
| Type | Private Limited Company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Optometrists and dispensing opticians |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | Dean Butler |
| Headquarters | Ruddington, England, UK, Nottingham , Nottinghamshire |
Number of locations | 549 |
Area served | United Kingdom Republic of Ireland Jersey |
Key people | Steve Worboys (MD) |
| Products | Spectacles, Contact lenses, Sunglasses, Eye Examinations |
| Services | Eye Exams, Contact Lens Assessments, Spectacles Dispensing |
| Revenue |  £280m (2012)[1] |
| £16.4m (2012)[1] | |
| Owner | EssilorLuxottica |
Number of employees | 5250 apx (inc. joint venture partnerships) |
| Parent | Vision Express Group Ltd |
| Subsidiaries | Abbeyfield V.E. Ltd Vision Express (CLS) Ltd |
| Website | www |
Vision Express is a British eyewear company established in 1988. It operates a chain of opticians in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, providing eye examinations and selling spectacles, sunglasses and contact lenses. The company was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Ruddington, Nottinghamshire. It is a subsidiary of EssilorLuxottica.[2][3]
History
[edit]
The company opened its first practice in 1988 by American entrepreneur Dean Butler. Its first location was at the MetroCentre, Gateshead, followed by other stores.
The company developed a high-volume optical retail model influenced by the "one-hour" service concept used in other parts of the optical industry.[4][5]
In October 1993, Vision Express acquired seven LensCrafters locations from US Shoe Corp Cincinnati. Two years later, in 1995, the first store operating on a joint venture basis was opened..[4]
Grandvision
[edit]Grand Vision acquired Vision Express in 1997. The French parent company Grand Vision has clinics under various brands across Europe, and the rest of the world. Under franchise agreement there is a strong Vision Express brand present also in Latvian and Lithuanian markets. These clinics were acquired from GrandVision by Latvian entrepreneurs of "LU Optometrijas Centrs SIA". Currently "Vision Express" brand in Latvia and Lithuania is operated as a part of OC VISION group.
Expansion and acquisitions
[edit]By 2007, Vision Express operated more than 220 practices in the United Kingdom.[6]
In May 2008, Vision Express acquired Batemans Opticians. The acquisition included around 75 stores in Southern England. The majority of these practices have since been rebranded as Vision Express.[7]
On 1 May 2013, Vision Express announced that it had acquired 12 optical clinics from Crown Eyeglass Ltd.[8]
In February 2014, Vision Express acquired Rayner & Keeler Opticians.[9] Later that year, it also acquired the business of Liverpool-based Conlons Opticians. The Conlons transaction involved 19 clinics, with some continuing to operate from their existing premises and others transferring services to nearby Vision Express locations.[10]
Three years later, in December 2017, Vision Express announced the completion of the deal to incorporate 209 Tesco Opticians into the portfolio. This increased the Vision Express store count (in the UK) to 600.[11] By June 2018, all the Tesco Optician clinics had been rebranded to VE@Tesco.[citation needed]
Operations
[edit]There are currently 575 clinics throughout the United Kingdom, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland.[12] Of these clinics approx. 195 are fully company-owned,[1] with the remainder being under joint Venture partnerships.
Vision Express also operates more than 110 clinics in Poland. It opened a series of clinics in India in partnership with Reliance. In 2025, there were 105 Vision Express stores across India.[citation needed]
COVID-19 operations
[edit]In late March 2020, Vision Express closed non-essential branches indefinitely in a nationwide response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Onur Köksal, (CEO) began to initiate the furlough of all non-essential staff. A small number of clinics are said to have remained open to offer essential, emergency clinical care.[13]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Vision Express (UK) Ltd, Annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2012.
- ↑ "VISION EXPRESS (UK) LIMITED overview". Companies House. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- ↑ "Read about Vision Express". Vision Express. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Proxy statement". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- ↑ "GPS & Vision Express (A)". IMD Business School. August 2000. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- ↑ Full report: Vision Express (Report). Ofsted. 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- ↑ "Vision Express acquires 75-store rival". Retail Week. 6 May 2008. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- ↑ Barry, Chris (2 May 2013). "Vision Express buys 12 Crown Eyeglass shops". TheBusinessDesk.com. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- ↑ Editorial Assistant (14 May 2014). "Vision Express invests in multi-channel". Retail Gazette. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- ↑ McDonough, Tony (1 December 2014). "After 132 years in the same family Liverpool's Conlons Opticians is sold to Vision Express". Liverpool Echo.
- ↑ "Vision Express completes Tesco Opticians acquisition". Association of Optometrists. 4 December 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- ↑ "Find your local Vision Express Opticians".
- ↑ Munbodh, Emma (27 March 2020). "Vision Express to close all branches under Government orders". mirror. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
External links
[edit]
- Vision Express website
- Vision Express India
- Vision Express Poland
- Vision Express Lithuania
- Vision Express Latvia
- Vision Express Philippines
