Duncan & Todd begins growth

Scottish optical group Duncan & Todd has announced its acquisition of Dempster Opticians.

The purchase of the Peebles-based independent marks the beginning of Duncan & Todd’s growth strategy, which it shared last month after securing a £15m investmentfrom private equity firm LDC.

Following the investment, Duncan & Todd shared expansion plans that detailed ambitions to strengthen its presence and roll put a new audiology service across Scotland.

Dempster Opticians was established more than 40 years ago.

Speaking about the acquisition, CEO at Duncan & Todd, Frances Rus (pictured), commented: “Dempster Opticians is a well-regarded optometrists in Peebles, having established a loyal customer base and reputation for high-quality customer service. Welcoming it into the group is an exciting opportunity for us as we look to extend our footprint and bring our market-leading services to new communities across Scotland.”

She explained that on partnering with LDC in March, the independent aimed to “hit the ground running and identify quality practices that would fit well with the Duncan & Todd ethos of community-driven primary optical care.”

“With an investment partner on board, we are now well placed to make further acquisitions and roll out complementary healthcare services,” she added.

Investment director in Scotland at LDC, Colin Bennett, said: “Duncan & Todd’s first acquisition marks the management team’s intent and ability to pursue an active buy-and-build strategy, as they look to cement the business’ position as Scotland’s primary optometry service. With this immediate momentum, we look forward to continuing to support the business’ expansion.”