Bootle practice celebrates ribbon cutting

An optometry practice in Bootle, Merseyside, has cut the ribbon on its brand-new location.

Sara Taylor, store director, has worked at the Specsavers practice since its opening in 1999, having started as a trainee optical assistant.

Taylor said: “Specsavers Bootle has been a part of this community since February 1999 and I’m proud to have been here since the initial opening. The team has done an excellent job in our 25 years, but we reached capacity at our previous location and needed more room to grow.”

The new practice is a short move away from its previous location in the Strand Shopping Centre. The new location has seven testing rooms, as well as a dedicated audiology room.

Taylor commented: “Bootle means a lot to me personally. I’ve grown up here and I still live in the area. I really care about this town and all the people in it, so we want to do the best for the residents.

“Bootle is one of the most deprived areas of Merseyside and I know how important it is to really serve this community and provide the best care we can,” she added.

One way in which the practice supports the local community beyond eye care is providing blood pressure and heart rate checks.

The move is in part due to the ongoing £20 million regeneration of the town centre by Sefton Council, which purchased the shopping centre in 2017 and aims to create a hub for shopping, leisure, education, and health.

The practice is seeking to hire more staff and plans to work with the local Jobcentre to fill positions.

The new practice was opened in a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Taylor, optical director, Anne Parker, and the practice team.

The ribbon was cut by Zoe Bear, the mascot for Liverpool children’s hospice, Zoe’s Place, the practice’s chosen charity for the year in 2024.

Lily Brazier, a spokesperson for Zoe’s Place, said: “We are absolutely delighted to celebrate the grand reopening of Specsavers Bootle and to join in the festivities on this special day.”

The Bootle and Crosby Specsavers practices have raised £1500 for the hospice, with donations also collected during the practice grand opening.

“This generosity means so much to our team, especially as we recently secured the future of Zoe’s Place and laid plans for a brand-new hospice to care for our precious children and their families for years to come,” she said.