Look local: Wecs working well in Bridgend

Nestled between the bright lights of Swansea and Cardiff sits Bridgend, a traditional market town with a rich history of food, agriculture and farming. Until the first half of the 19th century the surrounding hills were sparsely populated, but the discovery of coal brought a massive influx of miners. The town is currently undergoing a redevelopment project hoping to welcome shoppers back into the town after years of missing out to the big cities.

‘It’s a nice area to work in, the people are fairly easy going and loyal,’ says The Eye Centre owner Nick Maydew. His independent practice, which has three branches across the borough, estimates 80% of its patients are NHS. He adds: ‘Lots of NHS patients means average dispensing value is relatively low. It can be difficult to up-sell to premium frames and lenses. We stock quite an extensive range including a few selective designers but due to the high numbers of patients receiving benefits it is the free range that is most popular.’