Mason Moore | Hinckley Reporter | 14 June 2023

GLASSES were raised by team members at Hinckley’s branch of Specsavers last Saturday (10 June) to celebrate 30 years of the shop trading in the town centre.

The national glasses giant have had a presence on Castle Street for a total of three decades, having officially opening their doors for the first time back in May 1993.

To celebrate and mark the milestone, Hinckley and Bosworth’s borough mayor, Coun. Scott Gibbens, unveiled a special plaque, alongside store director Abhijit Roy.

After unveiling of the plaque, Coun. Gibbens issued words of congratulations to the national glasses giant, and explained he was ‘honoured’ to be invited to the event.

He said: “My congratulations to all the team here at Specsavers. I’m honoured to have been invited to celebrate such an important milestone not only for the store but for the community. I wish the team every continued success for the future.”

There was a party atmosphere as staff members accompanied Storm Troopers to greet visitors under a balloon arch, whilst handing out goodie bags to children, which included a glasses case, cleaning kit, commemorative pen, key ring, and sweet treats.

“Since opening our doors in 1993, we’ve felt like part of the community in Hinckley, supporting local activities and looking after our customers with the best possible eye and ear care”, said Store Director, Abhijit Roy. “Our loyal customer base is testament to the team and the high quality of customer service they deliver.”

Abhijit added: “I am very proud of what we have achieved over the last 30 years, I can remember very clearly starting with five members of staff and the sheer buzz and excitement when we first opened our doors.

“We now have 30 team members and to this day the buzz and excitement continues! Thirty years is a real milestone, especially in today’s high street climate, so we wanted to host a special event to say thank you.”

He concluded: “We’ve seen huge advances in practice and technology since we opened, but our team spirit and customer focus is just the same as it was all those years ago. We’d really like to thank all our loyal customers for their support over the years.”

As well as celebrating three decades of the business, store director, Abhijit Roy also celebrated his 30-year milestone. And in addition, the borough mayor also handed out long-service awards to two other members of the team.

Store manager, Elsa Hook, who started at the store as an optical assistant, has clocked up 15 years at the store, whilst lab supervisor Jason Armstrong has marked 10 years.

Abhijit described both the store’s anniversary and long-serving staff service as “a fabulous achievement for us all”, whilst also stating: “I’m proud of the team that we have built and all that we have achieved over the years.”

Specsavers is located at 18 Castle Street, Hinckley, and specialise in both optical and audiology services. To book a sight or hearing test, call the store directly on 01455 233723 or visit their website for more details.