Specsavers Optical Group

Specsavers is the world’s largest privately owned eye care and audiology company with more than 2,500 optical, audiology, and ophthalmology businesses in 11 countries. It all grew from humble origins in Guernsey, where the business is still proud to be based. Specsavers has for many years been the island’s biggest private employer, with its large support office in St Andrew’s and the local store in Market Street.

Our founders Doug and Dame Mary Perkins have lived in Guernsey for some 44 years. The husband and wife team had met at Cardiff University in 1962, where they were both studying optometry. After graduating in 1966 they set up a successful chain of opticians which grew to 24 stores before they sold up in 1980 to move to Guernsey, which was already home to Mary’s parents.
They initially spent some time away from eye care with Doug lecturing in business studies at the College of Further Education and Mary volunteering at Guernsey’s Citizens’ Advice Bureau. But helping people with their sight always remained Doug and Mary’s clear passion and in 1983 they saw a huge opportunity when deregulation of various industries under the Thatcher government
enabled opticians to advertise their services for the first time. It led them to devise the innovative joint venture partnership to deliver expert and affordable eye care, and Specsavers was born. This business model involves local clinicians and retailers owning and running their own local Specsavers businesses while benefiting from all the support services and economies of scale of the collective Specsavers group. An instant success, it has grown and grown. Doug and Mary remain very actively involved in the business and their son John is Group CEO.

‘We are very proud to be celebrating 40 years in business this year. The success of Specsavers is all down to the joint venture partnership and the amazing people we have had working for us over the years. But it is fair to say that had we not moved to Guernsey there might never have been a Specsavers, so we are forever grateful to our island home. The Bailiwick has given us so much over the years and it will always be the home of the business. We’ve been saying “Should’ve gone to Specsavers” for years. On top of that, all we can say is we’re very glad we came to Guernsey.’