When Anjana Taank received a call late at night in July 2019 to tell her that her practice, Taank Optometrists, had been flooded by firefighters in order to contain a blaze in a neighbouring building, she would have been forgiven for fearing the worst.
Her fears were realised during a subsequent visit to the wrecked building when Taank saw water still raining from the ceiling of the award-winning practice in Cambridge. ‘Water destroyed all of our contents, including our equipment,’ she says, ‘but the damage to the building itself was also extensive. There was no choice but to strip the structure back to bare brick.’
Practice owner Anjana Taank
When Optician last spoke to Taank (Optician 7.2.20) it was to investigate the practice’s short term solution to the loss of its premises. The team at Taank Optometrists had relocated their practice to a pop-up shop in a luxury temporary cabin that remained on site, behind the damaged building. ‘In the end, we were there for over a year,’ says Taank. ‘The pop-up attracted a lot of praise locally, it was fun but highly functional and clients were impressed with what we achieved with that small but perfectly formed space.’
The Covid-19 pandemic initially placed strain on the team as they continued to work out of the temporary cabin, with space for socially distancing at a premium in the small space. Support for the business was strong in the community however, and the decision to remain close to the building site provided its own advantages.
Grand designs
Taank explains that although the destruction of the practice was a disaster, it provided a unique opportunity and impetus to reinvigorate the business: ‘The water damage did mean we had a prime opportunity to redesign and update our practice, but we had to act fast. Our biggest
challenge was the speed at which we had to make refurbishment decisions to kick-start the planning process, we didn’t even have time to process what had happened.’
Water damage to the original building necessitated an extensive rebuilding process
Thankfully, Taank was able to call on the help of a local interior designer and project manager who ensured quick and effective decisions and building against a demanding, tight schedule. ‘The designer and I worked closely for several months before building work began, picking our way through the planning process and choosing the right contractors,’ she says.
Covid complications
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was not entirely negative for the refurbishment process. ‘There’s no question that lockdowns affected construction,’ says Taank. ‘However, we used the downtime to finalise our interior design in great detail. Funnily enough, by having the materials sourced and our build team prepared in advance, we managed to save time in the long run and make the building works more efficient.’
The designer, William Mayes of Layrd Design, says the rebuild was completed in record time to high specifications that match the service Taank offers. ‘We wanted the end result to showcase a luxurious but approachable and comfortable setting,’ he adds. ‘We achieved this through bespoke details like the addition of a coffee bar with high stools, for clients to enjoy a drink while waiting for an appointment, or while their new frames are being fitted.’ A new frame adjustment area has also been constructed, complete with a workshop.
Building back better
Now that the practice rebuild and refurbishment is completed Taank is enjoying working in the new space. ‘It feels amazing to have finally reopened the practice. After all we’ve been through during the last 18 months, from the water damage to the building works, the team feels a real sense of achievement.’ The design of the practice aims to create a warm, friendly atmosphere for patients and even the smallest details have been considered in order to emphasise the practice’s frame collections and friendly customer service.
The refurbishment has allowed the practice to expand from a single-floor space to being spread over three floors. Taank explains: ‘We made significant structural changes to allow for the design, including opening up the retail area and extending the premises to the rear of the property. Now, when you visit, you’re greeted by a bright, modern reception and retail area and a ground floor consulting room.’
The new reception, above, and consulting room, below
In addition to the ground floor space the team at Taank now have access to another consulting room and private dispensing area on the first floor, with the top floor held over as a comfortable space for staff that includes a meeting area for CET events and training.
New capabilities
Taank feels that the extra space has improved the practice’s ability to provide care in the community. She explains that the additional room provides the bandwidth to increase appointments in the future, and adds: ‘Since we’ve provided a glaucoma referral refinement service to Cambridge-based Addenbrooke’s Hospital for many years now, the additional space means we’re able to care for more glaucoma patients in the community.’
The frames carried by the practice were also considered during the rebuild with an expanded offering now available. Custom-made eyewear displays have been added, allowing the practice to spotlight certain frames and narrow the selection down effectively for patients.
The pay-off
The team at Taank Optometrists have shown grit and determination in equal measure throughout the refurb process, alongside no small measure of optimism. ‘The process has been challenging, particularly with a pandemic thrown in the mix,’ laughs Taank. ‘I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, honestly, but we’re thrilled with the finished result and delighted to be back.’
Coming back from such a disaster is testament to the power of resilience and shows that even the worst events often contain silver linings. Taank Optometrists is now a more complete practice because of the work that hardship necessitated and the team have kept a memento of the journey to remind them of that fact. ‘We’ve managed to rehome some of the artwork bought specifically for the pop-up in our refurbished practice,’ shares Taank. ‘The pop-up is a part of our history, a sanctuary when we needed it most. Hopefully the artwork will remind us of a time when we all pulled together as a team to overcome monumental obstacles.’