Hammond & Dummer expands

The company, launched three years ago, has secured investment for development and has announced two new appointees to the board. Sir Peter Thompson becomes non executive chairman and Grahame Dummer joins as managing director. The directors are confident that the company's emphasis on quality of service and care, as opposed to 'gimmicks and one-hour turnarounds', will work as well in other parts of the country as it has in Milton Keynes. 'We believe there are significant opportunities throughout the country to develop the concept of providing spectacle wearers with the highest standards of care, exceptional choice, informed advice and first class customer service,' said Mr Dummer. 'We will shortly be filling the gap which currently exists in the Midlands as the first phase of our development programme, and we are pursuing other areas where the demographics suggest a good fit with our business aims.' Kathy Hammond will continue to head all clinical and professional care aspects of the business while Marilyn Dummer retains responsibility for marketing and operations. Mr Dummer added that Sir Peter Thompson's experience in developing successful businesses would be invaluable to the development programme. Mr Thompson was founder chairman of Community Hospitals, a healthcare company initially financed by venture capital and until last year was a non-executive director of Smiths Industries, Aegis and Brewin Dolphin.