AS ONE of the first Specsavers stores to open in London, close to the iconic Wembley Stadium, the team has built a reputation for delivering excellent customer service and clinical care.
Rakesh Kapoor, optometrist director, and Lyndon Matroos, retail director, marked the store’s key milestone by welcoming Co-Founder of Specsavers, Dame Mary Perkins, to officiate at its 30th birthday anniversary party. They were joined by the Mayor of Brent, Cllr Tariq Dar MBE, himself a pillar of the community for the last 50 years, plus a host of VIP birthday guests.
Cllr Tariq Dar was introduced to Dame Mary Perkins, the store team and guests, including representatives from 40 plus members of the Specsavers regional London team, including Sujith Weerasinghe, Specsavers Regional Relationship Manager, North West London.
The Mayor then joined Dame Mary Perkins in giving a short congratulatory speech and toast, after which Dame Mary and the Mayor cut the anniversary cake.
Optometrist director, Rakesh Kapoor says: ‘We’re thrilled to welcome Dame Mary and the Mayor of Brent to help us celebrate such an important store anniversary.
‘It’s also wonderful to welcome so many Specsavers friends and family today. Little did I know how Specsavers would grow to be a global brand when I first met Doug Perkins at the Birmingham Optrafair in 1994.
‘As a 1991 ophthalmics graduate from Aston University, I had already gained 18 months’ experience as an optometrist in London. After my 30-minute chat with Doug at the careers fair, I accepted the offer to set up one of the first London Specsavers stores. A few weeks later I was bound for Guernsey, where I spent time learning all about Specsavers. At that time, I had no concept of how to run a business or what I was taking on. It’s now 30 years on and I am a store partner for four North West London Specsavers stores. So, as they say, the rest is history.’
Co-director Lyndon Matroos joined the team in 2012 and has been a key part of growing the business ever since. With a flair for retail, team building and customer service, his career has flourished over the last 20 years. Lyndon comments: ‘It’s such an accolade to the store team for our success in being the go-to opticians and audiology experts for our community. We are incredibly grateful to our long-standing customers and for their loyalty, many of whom now have families of their own.
‘Today marks a real highlight as we celebrate 30 years with Dame Mary and the Mayor of Brent, plus our wonderful Specsavers colleagues and guests. Here’s to many more years to come in support of our community and loyal customers, to whom we are very grateful.’
During the day, guests and customers mingled to the backdrop of 90’s music, with customers receiving goody bags with special 30th birthday offers and treats. The festivities extended to the weekend where there was music and a party atmosphere.
Specsavers Wembley offers customers access to state-of-the-art pre-room testing diagnostic equipment, including a visual fields analyser and OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) examination. The OCT machine, which is hospital grade advanced diagnostic, eye-scanning equipment, helps detect serious eye conditions, including glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, up to four years earlier than traditional methods, and is currently just £10.
The added benefit of the scan is that each customer’s OCT images can be stored, with any changes being observed over time – a real benefit to the monitoring of someone’s overall eye health.
In addition, there are six test rooms, dedicated diagnostic testing areas and specific contact lens stations offering enhanced facilities to customers. The store operates 54 sight clinics a week, with audiology clinics available on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Opening times are Monday to Sunday, 9am to 6pm.
To celebrate National Eye Health Week (23-29 September) and its theme of promoting the importance of good eye health and the need for regular eye tests for all, why not book in for a sight or hearing test to check your eyes and ears are in tip top condition.
You can contact Specsavers Wembley on 020 8900 1433. Alternatively, you can book online at https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/wembley
During an eye test, Specsavers’ optometrists will assess your vision as well as check the overall health of your eyes so it’s important to have regular eye tests, even if you aren’t experiencing any eye issues or symptoms.
