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  1. Home

About us

About us

Over the last 30 years, we’ve come a long way from our humble beginnings in the Perkins’ spare room. Nowadays, we’re proud to offer affordable eyecare and hearing services to customers across the globe. Take a look at the Specsavers story.

Over the last 30 years, we’ve come a long way from our humble beginnings in the Perkins’ spare room. Nowadays, we’re proud to offer affordable eyecare and hearing services to customers across the globe. Take a look at the Specsavers story.

1983

Specsavers founded

Specsavers founded

Specsavers founded

Doug and Mary Perkins started the business on a ping-pong table in their spare room, after a change in UK regulations allowed professionals to advertise their products and services for the first time.

1984

Opened first stores in Guernsey and the UK

Opened first stores in Guernsey and the UK

Opened first stores in Guernsey and the UK

The first stores opened with the aim to provide a wide range of modern and stylish glasses at an affordable price for everyone.

1990

Opened first store in Ireland

Opened first store in Ireland

Opened first store in Ireland

1997

Opened first international store in the Netherlands

Opened first international store in the Netherlands

Opened first international store in the Netherlands

1999

Opened flagship store in Tottenham Court Road, London, the 350th in the UK

Opened flagship store in Tottenham Court Road, London, the 350th in the UK

Opened flagship store in Tottenham Court Road, London, the 350th in the UK

2002

Expanded into audiology in the UK

Expanded into audiology in the UK

Expanded into audiology in the UK

2003

Launched Should’ve gone to Specsavers strapline in the UK

Launched Should’ve gone to Specsavers strapline in the UK

Launched Should’ve gone to Specsavers strapline in the UK

2003

Awarded Supreme Achievement Award by optical industry

Awarded Supreme Achievement Award by optical industry

Awarded Supreme Achievement Award by optical industry

2004

Opened first store in Sweden

Opened first store in Sweden

Opened first store in Sweden

2005

Opened first store in Norway

Opened first store in Norway

Opened first store in Norway

2005

Acquired Louis Nielsen in Denmark

Acquired Louis Nielsen in Denmark

Acquired Louis Nielsen in Denmark

2006

Opened first store in Spain

Opened first store in Spain

Opened first store in Spain

2007

Mary Perkins made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Mary Perkins made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Mary Perkins made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire

2008

Opened 100 stores in 100 days in Australia and New Zealand

Opened 100 stores in 100 days in Australia and New Zealand

Opened 100 stores in 100 days in Australia and New Zealand

2009

Celebrated 25 years in business

Celebrated 25 years in business

Celebrated 25 years in business

2011

Opened 700th store in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Opened 700th store in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Opened 700th store in Belfast, Northern Ireland

2012

Became NHS-qualified hearing care providers

Became NHS-qualified hearing care providers

Became NHS-qualified hearing care providers

Specsavers is now accredited by over half of the NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups in England to provide NHS hearing services in local community setting. So people can get the assistance they need with their hearing, closer to home.

2012

The Dame Mary Perkins Optometry Training Centre opened in Zambia

The Dame Mary Perkins Optometry Training Centre opened in Zambia

The Dame Mary Perkins Optometry Training Centre opened in Zambia

2013

Launched UK home visit eyecare service

Launched UK home visit eyecare service

Launched UK home visit eyecare service

Providing access to our eyecare services for those who are unable to visit us in store due to physical or mental disabilities.

2016

Partnered with ophthalmology business, Newmedica

Partnered with ophthalmology business, Newmedica

Partnered with ophthalmology business, Newmedica

Our preferred NHS-approved provider of care for those who require advanced eyecare services.

2017

Partnership with International Glaucoma Association

Partnership with International Glaucoma Association

Partnership with International Glaucoma Association

Helping to raise awareness of glaucoma and encourage everyone to have regular eye tests.

2017

Launched first global celebrity eye wear collection with Kylie Minogue

Launched first global celebrity eye wear collection with Kylie Minogue

Launched first global celebrity eye wear collection with Kylie Minogue

2018

New Frame Styler and AudioPad technology rolled out in UK and Ireland

New Frame Styler and AudioPad technology rolled out in UK and Ireland

New Frame Styler and AudioPad technology rolled out in UK and Ireland

2018

Launch of new will.i.am global brand

Launch of new will.i.am global brand

Launch of new will.i.am global brand

Exclusive to Specsavers

2019

Nationwide roll out of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) equipment

Nationwide roll out of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) equipment

Nationwide roll out of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) equipment

Providing hospital-grade scanning technology in our stores so that we can get an even better view of our customers’ eye health.

2019

900th UK and Ireland Specsavers store opened in Dalgety Bay, Scotland

900th UK and Ireland Specsavers store opened in Dalgety Bay, Scotland

Dame Mary Perkins and radio DJ and TV presenter, Edith Bowman, unveiled Specsavers’ 900th store in Dalgety Bay, it’s the 900th to open in the UK and Ireland

900th UK and Ireland Specsavers store opened in Dalgety Bay, Scotland

Dame Mary Perkins and radio DJ and TV presenter, Edith Bowman, unveiled Specsavers’ 900th store in Dalgety Bay, it’s the 900th to open in the UK and Ireland

2020

Specsavers remains open for urgent and essential care throughout the Covid-19 pandemic

Specsavers remains open for urgent and essential care throughout the Covid-19 pandemic

Specsavers remains open for urgent and essential care throughout the Covid-19 pandemic

2020

Logo evolves to a single colour and a change of font for the first time in 25 years

Logo evolves to a single colour and a change of font for the first time in 25 years

Logo evolves to a single colour and a change of font for the first time in 25 years

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