Independent thinking by former Boots franchisee

Local patients took to the streets of Chard, Somerset last week to congratulate optometrist Cathy Barnett on the opening of her independent practice Cathy Barnett Eye Care.

Formerly a Boots Opticians, Barnett decided to save the practice that she had worked at for almost a quarter of a century after the UK firm announced it would close its Chard franchise in December 2017.

Above all, the new practice owner said that she ‘could not abandon’ her patients, who would have to make a 30-minute journey to Taunton in order to receive eye care at another Boots store.

Now operating under a new name, Barnett, pictured right, said: ‘We are excited by the venture to start our new opticians, Cathy Barnett Eye Care which enables us not to be tied by corporate decisions and policies.