Chris Bennett: Optician Awards still on the Ball at 40

Zoe Ball was excited, Vernon Kay was rocking the mic and 600 of the great and good from optics were in attendance to see the 2022 Optician Awards presented at a glittering black-tie bash in London’s Hilton, last week.

Despite approaching its 40th birthday there was a fresh feel about the Optician Awards this year. New categories, a clutch of new sponsors and, most heartening, a clutch of first-time winning names on the iconic art deco trophies, set the scene.

Emerging form the pandemic has set a number of challenges for the eye care sector, but it’s not just in practice the business has proved it is ready. The Optician Awards has always been a bellwether for optics and this year the quality and volume of entries submitted by Optician readers was impressive. Categories covering sustainability, building back better and visions of the future, all drew a great response while new names gave the northern optical powerhouse a showcase. Names such as Maskell + Josephson, Woodhouse and Yorkshire Eyewear were victorious on the night showing both the national strength in depth of the eye care sector and the reach of Optician’s influence.