As with many of England’s towns, cotton mills and engineering were historically at the heart of the Stockport’s local economy. But the town also benefitted from a unique trade – hat making. By the turn of the 20th century, Stockport’s hatting industry employed thousands of people and exported headgear all over the globe. As fashions changed and it became cheaper to produce products abroad, the hat-trick of industries eventually went into decline. Yet just last month the town got the go-ahead for a major business improvement district which will see more than £2.5m investment over the next five years.
Although not a ‘Stopfordian’ by birth, Atkins-Sutcliffe Eyewear owner Kari Tumelius has grown fond of the town. He says: ‘When I bought the practice I didn’t really pick Stockport because of the town, I was looking for different opportunities. But now I really enjoy Stockport and its people. My customer base is very colourful, with lots of different kinds of people from different ages. I have lots of NHS customers and lots of my customers are on benefits.’
But practising in the town is not without its faults. Tumelius has an increasing problem of patients not attending their appointments, leading to a negative effect on the business. ‘Certain groups of NHS customers don’t really care, they expect things to be free and don’t respect when they book an appointment and don’t bother to call if they can’t make it,’ says Tumelius. ‘I know that life is full of surprises but it’s common courtesy [to let the practice know].’
Kay-Downs Opticians has experienced a similar trend. Owner Andrea Kay says: ‘We have a local area considered to be deprived and getting them to attend is difficult. Also we have all the pressures of town centre overheads by being a small independent. Like any area the recession was difficult for my patients.’
The practice has experienced lots of change since opening its doors nearly 10 years ago. ‘Stockport has struggled with retail over the past 10 years and there are a lot of empty units. I spent over a year between two empty units so that made it difficult for people to realise where we are,’ Kay says.
Yet Stockport was one of the first areas to offer a minor eye care service in the UK, and continues to lead the way in providing enhanced optical services. The town’s Specsavers store, run by optometric directors Frances Prescott and Deborah Morley (pictured), provides DVLA tests, diabetic retinopathy services and pre and post-cataract services. The store also has a large base of NHS patients. ‘Approximately two thirds of our patients have NHS vouchers. Our customers are loyal, and we have many customers who have been using our service for several years,’ they add.
Who’s in town?
Total: 19
Independents: 16
Multiples: 3
Average cost
Prices for an eye examination range from £20 to £30. The average cost is £26.
Population - see pie chart
Stockport population: 286,775 (ONS Mid Year Population Estimates, 2014)
Community eye care
According to the Locsu Atlas Map of Optical Variation, Stockport Local Optical Committee has secured a contract for NHS Stockport CCG in cataract referral, cataract post-op, glaucoma repeat readings and a minor eye conditions service.
Health and affluence
- The average house price in Stockport is £189,984 (Rightmove, 2016) compared with an average of £216,750 for England and Wales (Land Registry, 2016).
- NHS expenditure on vision problems in Stockport per person is £97, compared with the UK average of £89 (RNIB Sight Loss Data Tool 2015).
- 2,040 patients live in Stockport with early stage wet AMD and 990 with dry AMD (RNIB).
- There are about 3,160 people living in Stockport who have cataract, 2,800 people with glaucoma and 18,900 with diabetes. Some 530 patients have diabetic retinopathy (RNIB).
Fun facts
Stockport is now home to the country’s only dedicated hatting museum, the Hat Works Museum of Hatting.
The town was a regular feature in Stretford born LS Lowry’s artwork.
In 1967, Stockport was the scene of an air disaster which left 72 dead.
Between 1968 and ’93 Strawberry Studios recorded the likes of Joy Division, pictured, The Stone Roses and Paul McCartney.TV presenter and journalist Joan Baker and indie band Blossoms are from Stockport.
Philosopher Friedrich Engels wrote in 1844 that Stockport was ‘renowned as one of the duskiest, smokiest holes in the whole of the industrial area’.