Opticians wins national accolade

An independent opticians in Sudbury has been crowned the best in the UK by the 2015 Local and Loved awards.

Wardale Williams, which has branches in Sudbury and Halstead, is celebrating after being named as the best opticians in the UK.

Amanda Skinner, practice manager at Wardale Williams, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have won this national competition and to be recognised as the best optician in the country.

“It gives us a lot of satisfaction that our professionalism and our dedication to providing excellent customer care are being recognised.”

The awards are run by the Best Of – a national organisation launched in 2005 to support and showcase local businesses.

The Best Of supports more than 30,000 local businesses in more than 300 locations across the UK.

The award comes just weeks after staff member Will Norman learned he had been named as a finalist in the Optometrist of the Year category of the national Optician Awards.

Ms Skinner added: “We feel honoured and proud to have won such a prestigious award, particularly as it comes straight off the back of Will being named as a national finalist.”

Penny Wilby, who runs the Best of Sudbury, said: “I am delighted for Wardale Williams, which is a fabulous company and this award is very much deserved.

“I am incredibly proud that a small, independent business from Sudbury has been named the best of its kind in the country.”

The Local and Loved Awards are based entirely on feedback from customers and, in this particular category, from scores given following the purchase of a pair of glasses or an eye examination.