Simon Jones: Have passport, will travel

August may well be one of the quieter months for Optician but planning for the forthcoming trade show season has begun in earnest.

Having just finished making travel arrangements for Silmo in Paris at the end of September, I couldn’t help but wonder how many industry professionals would make the same journey across, over or under the English Channel?

I’ve been to more Silmo shows than I care to remember, including one year making the trip just a couple of days before my wedding, it’s a little disheartening to be able to recall seeing so few UK opticians out there.

I realise that I’m not going to run into everyone at the show, but whether exhibitors at the event have seen many UK customers is always a topic of conversation.