Boots Opticians announces merger with D&A

Boots Opticians has announced its merger with rival optical chain Dollond & Aitchison (D&A) this morning (January 29).

The deal will see the disappearance of the D&A branding from the high street and the combined businesses trading as Boots Opticians.

The unification of the chains will create a body of approximately 690 practices (including around 210 franchises) trading under the Boots branding, employing more than 5,000 people.

D&A is currently owned by De Rigo, a market leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of high-quality eyewear.

The deal will see Alliance Boots, the parent company of Boots Opticians, hold a controlling stake in the new company which will be jointly owned by De Rigo. It will be run as a stand-alone business and it is proposed that, in due course, the headquarters will be based in Nottingham. Within the new business, Pradip Patel (currently managing director of Boots Opticians) will become chairman and Andy Ferguson (currently chief executive officer of D&A) will be appointed as managing director.