Retirement at Batemans

<25C6> John Thompson, professional services director at the GC Bateman Group, has retired after 36 years with the family-owned company.
To celebrate, Thompson and his wife, Sue, the daughter of the late David Bateman, joined fellow directors at a luncheon where they were presented with a Victorian watercolour.
Thompson joined Batemans in 1968 at the Newcastle branch of JJ Bates where he met Sue, a receptionist at the practice. They later moved to Sussex, near to FA Bateman's head office.
GC Bateman bought the group in 1972 and Thompson was appointed managing director.
Thompson was also actively involved in other areas of optics, including work as a FODO Council member, organising the Batemans Contact Lens Division and assisting in the Bateman Group staff training programme.
Although he has retired from the 'front line', he will continue to work in practice three days a week, mainly at Bexhill-on-Sea.