Family affairs: How Bill Opticians built a thriving business

Known for its sandy beaches, coastal cliffs and postcard perfect fishing towns, Devon has long been a popular destination for holidaymakers. Now, the county is also home to a hub of optical practices owned by local brothers James and Charles Bill. Bill Opticians boasts six successful practices across the county, as well a million pound facility known as the Medical Eye Clinic which opened 18 months ago.

Bill Opticians began in 1972 when the brothers’ parents, Peter and Lesley Bill, bought an existing practice in Newton Abbot from a local optometrist. As the town’s population expanded, the practice’s popularity grew dramatically leading Peter and Lesley to set up partnerships with other optical businesses in the area. In 1999, after Charles had qualified as an optometrist and James a dispensing optician and contact lens fitter, the brothers bought an equal split in the family business and moved the practice into new premises in Newton Abbot.