Look local: Nottingham indies go up market

Home to the world’s oldest football club Notts County, ice skating duo Torvill and Deane and Britain’s favourite folklore legend Robin Hood, Nottingham is a city of many accolades. The city sits 30 miles from Sheffield and Leicester and just 15 miles from Derby, meaning its optical practices are kept busy providing eye care for a large population.

Situated in the theatre district of the city, Stephen Donald Eyewear does not benefit from the usual footfall of the retail sector. But as owner Kevin Wood explains, this has little effect on the business. He says: ‘We’re not on the high street but located in the entertainment sector where there are lots of restaurants and a cinema. This means we get a lot of walk-bys at night looking at our window displays, with a lot of customers coming back during the day.’