Practices from the Midlands and the North made their mark this year with the majority of awards going to business across England. This is in stark contrast to recent years which has seen the regions, home nations and multiple practices dominating the winners board.

Six of the individual practice awards went to the midlands with the north of England hot on their heels with four. A full round of the winners can be seen opposite.

In all 18 trophies were presented at a 1980s themed glittering black tie bash in the Hilton Metropole next to the National Exhibition Centre near Birmingham coinciding with the Optrafair weekend.

The evening started with a drinks reception, sponsored by Scope Ophthalmic, before the guests made their way through to the presentation room where they were treated to some electric 1980s graphics. A video sting themed on the 80s hit show Kids From Fame was played to the delight of the audience. This was followed by a welcome from Optician’s editor, Chris Bennett (pictured).

He called on the evening’s theme to highlight the massive technological changes that have taken place since the 1980s and to remind guests what a momentous decade it was for optics. Despite this technology said Bennett the core values remained: ‘Transport yourself back to a 1980s practice and it would be a very familiar place – only with bigger hair and shoulder pads.’

Dinner was then served during which guests took part in a game of Heads or Tails hosted by Vivid Optical managing consultant Danny Alaimo which raised £2,118 for the evening’s chosen charity Blind Veterans UK. The winner prize of a hamper was won by Vanessa Hammond of Parker and Hammond Opticians in Harrow.

Dinner was followed by the awards presentation which has hosted by Pat Sharp from the hit 1980s TV show Fun House. He entertained the audience before moving on to oversee the presentation of the 18 Optician Award trophies.

The Optician Awards winners

After the Awards presentation guests were invited to dance the night away to the specially commissioned 1980s disco or try their hand at a range of 80s video games brought in for the guests to try their hand at.

Optician would like to thank all of the entrants to this year’s awards and offer its commiserations to those who did not make it to the shortlist. Optician would also like to thank its sponsors for their support and enabling the Optician Awards to be such an unmissable event. All of the Award winners will be profiled in Optician over the coming months.

Optician Awards winners and nominees shortlist 2019

Technology Practice of the Year

Winner: Tompkins, Knight and Son Optometrists

Hammond and Dummer Opticians

Parley Optometrists

Radlett Opticians

Specsavers Haverfordwest

The Family Optician of the Year

Winner: Coleman Opticians Hearing and Vision Centre

Cooper & Barr Opticians

Heather Bailey Optometrists

Planit Opticians

Specsavers, Keighley

Valli Opticians

Multiple Practice of the Year

Winner: Specsavers, Bicester

Boots Opticians, New Milton

Specsavers, Chelmsley Wood

Specsavers, Haverfordwest

Specsavers, Sutton-in-Ashfield

Independent Practice of the Year sponsored by Hoya

Winner: Frost Borneo Opticians

Glass & Glass Optometrists

Hammond and Dummer

Opticians

Janjua Vision

Kings Hill Opticians

Lynne Fernandes Optometrists

Mackie Eyecare

Fashion Practice of the Year

Winner: Mincher-Lockett & Co Opticians

Clarke & Roskrow Styling Opticians

Park Vision

Rachel Murray Eyecare

Spexbox

Contact Lens Practice of the Year Award sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Visioncare

Winner: Querido & Davidson

Boots Opticians Braehead

Cooper & Barr Opticians

Specsavers, Derby

Specsavers, Keighley

Specsavers, Cannock

The Practice Growth Award, sponsored by A+E+L Markhams

Winner: Hammond and Dummer Opticians

Allegro Optical

Benjamin Opticians

Flint and Partners

Parley Optometrists

Sask Optics

Station Road Opticians

Lens Product of the Year

Winner: Autograph Intelligence, Shamir

UVProtect, Carl Zeiss Vision

Crizal Sapphire UV, Essilor Ultrathin, Waterside Laboratories

Frame of the Year

Winner: Blackcap, Bird Glasses

1305, Cutler and Gross

Topanga, L.A.Eyeworks

Camila, Xavier Garcia model

Elena, Reykjavik Eyes Black Label -

Rapunzel S05, Specsavers

Atum, You Mawo

Contact Lens Product of the Year

Winner: Duette, SynergEyes UK

OptiExpert, CooperVision

Versa One Day Toric, Mark’ennovy Personalized Care

Optical Supplier of the Year

Winner: Optos

24/7 Uptime

Heidelberg Engineering

Mainline Optical Connections

Ocuco

Scope Ophthalmics

Waterside Laboratories

The Low Vision Award

Winner: Stephanie Cairns, Sight Service

Judith Potts, Leicester Royal Infirmary

Mellis Eyecare

The Seeing Beyond the Eyes Team, Visualise Training & Consultancy

Enhanced Optical Service Award

Winner: Rawlings Opticians, Croydon

Boots Opticians, Knightsbridge

Parley Optometrists

Specsavers, Alton

Specsavers, Haverfordwest

Frame Stylist of the Year sponsored by Transitions

Winner: Sarah Neath, Lamertons Opticians

Amiee Wheeler, Eyeworks London

Janan Choudhury, Spectacle Emporium

Rachelle Garcia Russo, Station Road Opticians

Optical Assistant Team of the Year

Winner: Glass & Glass Optometrists

Boots Opticians, St Helens

Bowen Opticians

Clark Family Eyecare

Cooper & Barr Opticians

Specsavers, Bicester

Contact Lens Practitioner of the Year sponsored by Alcon

Winner: Iain Johnson, Maloney Opticians

Christopher Nixon, Christopher Nixon Optometrists

Marc Drake, Osmond Drake Opticians

Dipesh Chhatralia, Parker & Hammond Opticians

Lisa Pipe, Parley Optometrists

Dispensing Optician of the Year, sponsored by ASDA Opticians

Winner: Sheryl Doe, Allegro Optical

John Singh, Leightons Insight

Fraser McLean, Rachel Murray Eyecare

Tanja White, Specsavers, Bicester

Optometrist of the Year sponsored by CooperVision

Winner: Rebecca Rietdyke, Maloney Opticians

Cathy Dallimore, Edmonds & Slatter Opticians

Keyur Patel, K3 Healthcare Catherine McNamara, Liverton Opticians

David Barker, Rawlings Opticians