Chris Bennett: Independents are in rude health

There’s a real buzz around the independent sector at the moment and some great opportunities to get out and see what is going on in the market.

We’re in the thick of the conference and exhibition season with some events having to double up their timings to grab a slot in the calendar. The one thing all of these events have in common is their raison d’etre: to schmooze, convince and cajole independent practitioners into the hosts’ way of thinking. The hunger of practices for better products and new ‘stuff’ is palpable.

The Optician Awards are always a great bellweather for the strength of the market. Entries to the Awards continued to grow in strength this year and nowhere was that strength more in evidence than the Independent Practice of the Year Award.