News in brief

Four raiders attempted to smash their way into Safarian & Simon Opticians in St John's Wood last month but failed to gain entry according to practice staff. The practice stocks exclusive eyewear brands such as Gold & Wood, Mont Blanc, Persol and Tag Heuer. According to the London24 website, the practice was one of a number of businesses in St John's Wood high street targeted in a series of raids over a two-week period.

Hal Holding has posted a 6.6 per cent increase in its revenue to €557m in the first quarter of 2011 in comparison to €522.9m in the same period in 2010. Excluding the effect of acquisitions and currency exchange differences, the increase was 2.9 per cent. The company said its optical store sales, based on constant exchange rates, decreased by 0.5 per cent over the first quarter when compared with the same period in 2010 'primarily due to an ineffective marketing campaign which was not addressed in a timely fashion'. Hal added that operating income for the optical retail companies was €51m, down from €58m for the same period in 2010.