Look local: Loving the quiet life in Elgin

As a former Cathedral city and Royal Burgh, Elgin was once a popular holiday residence for medieval Scottish monarchs including David I, William I and Alexander II. Over hundreds of years, the Scottish town has experienced countless battles between Scottish and English armies, resulting in the eventual destruction of its cathedral and royal castle. Modern Elgin is a hub of old and new architecture with the few optical practices in the town reaping the benefits of a large catchment area.

‘Elgin is a largely rural town and not very heavily populated,’ says Specsavers retail director Peter Taylor. ‘It’s a pretty unique part of Scotland up here, it’s quite unknown and I think the residents want to preserve that nature. People assume because we’re so far north there’s polar bears or something, but we’re actually in one of the sunniest bits of Scotland which is surrounded by miles of amazing scenic beaches.’