The company began trading in the British optical retail market in 1983 in Nottingham, before opening practices in Peterborough, Leeds, Mansfield, Luton and Derby in 1984.[citation needed] Boots Opticians Ltd was formed as a subsidiary of Boots The Chemists Ltd in 1987, with the acquisition of Clement Clarke Ltd.[4] and Curry and Paxton Ltd.[citation needed]
On 29 January 2009, it was announced that Boots Opticians were to merge with Dollond & Aitchison, forming a chain of 690 stores and 5,000 staff after Boots purchased a controlling share in D&A.[5][6] In May 2019, the company was reported to be considering closing more than 200 stores within two years.[7]
As of 2020[update] there were around 630 stores, 180 of them operated by franchisees.[8] Amid falling sales during the COVID-19 pandemic, plans to close 48 stores were announced in July 2020.[9]
Misconduct case
In February 2019, the General Optical Council (GOC), the regulator for the optical professions in the UK, imposed a fine of £50,000 – the maximum allowed – on Boots Opticians Professional Services Ltd for mishandling a whistleblower case. In 2014, an optometrist employed by Boots had uncovered deficiencies in earlier work of another employee, affecting several patients, and Boots management had not responded appropriately. The GOC ruled that the company's fitness to carry on business was "impaired by reason of misconduct".[10][11]
£235.5m (2011) [3]
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