‘Leeds is a great, vibrant city with a busy up-and-coming independent scene,’ says Tomas Oppedal, co-owner of Eye Room Opticians. ‘It’s constantly changing. If you walk around the city now it’s so different to how it was 10 years ago and there are now lots of independent cafes, shops and bars.’
Oppedal opened Eye Room six months ago and is keen to capitalise on the changing tastes of the city’s inhabitants. ‘We try to be current and have trendy frames in store. Clear acetate and round metal frames have been very popular recently,’ he says.
The practice is Norwegian eyewear company Kaibosh’s premier store in the UK and Oppedal says it has been a ‘very exciting frame’ to stock. ‘Our best-selling frames are the quirkier ones,’ he explains. ‘We’re in the city centre so we try to appeal to the independent crowd, which has worked well.’
Given the young population in Leeds, in part thanks to its popular universities, Oppedal (pictured( has embarked on a creative marketing strategy – ditching expensive advertisements for a focus on social media platforms.
Suzanne Davis, optometrist manager at Ollie Quinn, has worked in Leeds for a number of years and oversaw the store’s relocation to the competitive city centre this time last year. She agrees that the city is a vibrant place with a diverse community.
The practice tries to embrace this community feel by engaging with and hosting local events. It has been the site for ‘out-of-hours music events and art exhibitions from local students,’ says Davis.
Ollie Quinn stores stock its own designs and use an interesting price structure – which sees all frames start from £98 to make its glasses ‘more accessible and affordable’, according to Davis.
Alan Smith, optometrist owner of A Smith Opticians, has also experienced the changing fashion trends, despite being located a few miles out of the city centre. ‘There’s been lots of change in fashion over the past six months. People are now going for brighter acetates rather than the classic black or tortoiseshell,’ he says.
‘Round specs and keyhole bridges are very popular right now, reminiscent of that 1950s style,’ says Smith. The practice prefers to stock independent brands and regularly visits trade shows such as Optrafair to source new designs and suppliers.
It has clearly paid off as dispensing sales are up, ‘feedback is always very good, and the business continues to grow every year,’ he adds.
Who’s in town
Total: 14
Independents: 6
Multiples: 8
Average costs
The price of an eye exam in Leeds ranges from £10 to £35, at an average cost of £24.
Population - see pie chart
Population: 784,846 (metropolitan area)
Community eye care
According to the LOCSU Atlas Map of Optical Variation, Leeds Local Optical Committee has a contract with all four of Leeds’ CCGs in Cataract Referral, Glaucoma Repeat Readings, OHT Monitoring and Glaucoma Referral Refinement.
Health and affluence
- The average house price in Leeds is £211,023 (Zoopla). UK average is £243,582 (Land Registry).
- Leeds has an average salary of £25,634, compared with the UK average of £27,271 (Payscale, 2018).
- By 2030, it is expected that there will be 26,980 people living with sight loss in Leeds – an increase of 27.9% (RNIB Sight Loss Data Tool).
- In Leeds it is estimated that 6,620 are at risk of or living with sight loss due to cataracts (RNIB).
- By 2030, it is predicted that there will a 15% increase in the number of adults living with diabetes in Leeds.
Fact file
The world-famous escape artist Harry Houdini, pictured, almost died in Leeds when performing at The Tetley centre. His attempt to break out of a case of ale was unsuccessful and he had to be rescued by his assistant.
Leeds is the largest legal and financial centre in the UK outside London and its economy generates in excess of £50bn a year.
A Birmingham clerk named Anthony Pratt went to Leeds-based board game manufacturer Waddington’s with the idea behind Cluedo. They developed it for release in 1949.
Remains of hippopotamuses were discovered in Leeds in 1984 by the site of Armley Gyratory – they are thought to be around 130,000 years old.
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