EST. 1921
EYE CARE perfected over 100 years
We have been providing high quality eye-care in Bury St Edmunds for over 100 years.
over 100 years of eye care
Synonymous with expert eye care
In the heart of bury
Exceptional service meets over 100 years experience
Director
Andrew Spiers
Andrew joined the Scotts Opticians team as Commercial Director in 2021.
He has 30 years of optical industry experience working in senior commercial roles with U.K multiple groups and Global Organisations.
Andrew’s optical journey began as a Lab Technician with an independent optician in North West London. His career progressed into various other roles including Store Manager, Training and Development Manager, Product Manager, Regional Manager and Retail Projects Manager.
Andrew has a real passion for optics. He works tirelessly in applying his skill and knowledge to create the warmest and most professional customer experience possible. He has a great eye for detail and is always on the hunt for the newest designs of eyewear and lens technology to bring to the practice and our customers.
Director
Alison Blake
OPTOMETRIST BSC MC OPTOM FBDO DIPTP (IP)
Alison has been the Clinical Director at Scotts Opticians since 2021. She joined Scotts Opticians in 2019 having been at another successful Independent Opticians in Norfolk for the previous 6 years.
Alison qualified as a Dispensing Optician first in 1984 but then studied for the Optometry degree at City University in 1985. She has previous experience working for Independent Opticians, Multiple Opticians and at a private eye hospital that performed refractive laser surgery, clear lens extractions and other advanced treatments in Surrey, London and the South Coast. She has a keen interest in Dry Eye Management and qualified as an Independent Prescriber in 2019 and uses this additional qualification to help her dry eye patients. She performs eye examinations at Scotts Opticians as well as running a separate dry eye clinic.
Director
Chris Stitson
Contact Lens Optician BSc FBDO CL
Chris originally trained as an Optical Engineer and worked for a company that produced aerial photographic equipment for the military. He gained his degree in Optical Physics at Anglia Ruskin University.
Chris retrained as a Dispensing optician initially and qualified in 2000 he then immediately went on to study to become a Contact Lens Optician. He has a passion for people and the technical aspects of optics including Ortho K and fitting the more challenging irregular shaped eyes.
He has worked in multiple, independent and hospital settings. Chris has worked most of his career in East Anglia with the exception of four years in New Zealand.
Chris is the newest member of the Professional team joining Scotts Opticians in January 2023.
Our Team
The scotts family
Matthew Gilbey
Matthew originally trained as a scientist. He has two first class degrees, biology with genetics from the University of York, and optometry from Anglia Ruskin University.
He has worked at Cambridge University in medical genetics, for a pharmaceutical company and a forensic chemistry laboratory in clinical trial/analytical chemistry audit. He settled into a career in optometry and is a familiar face having been at Scotts since 2012, having only ever worked at an independent optician or the University where he trained. His audit background gives him a strong eye for detail and his biology background means he enjoys learning about all things related to ocular disease.
Mitchell Thompson
Mitchell qualified as a Dispensing Optician in his home town of Colchester. He immediately started studying for an Optometry degree at City University, London. After gaining his degree, he passed his professional exams in 1986 and started working in North London at Independent practices, mainly in Enfield and Highgate. Having spent a year as an Optometric Advisor for the RNIB, which provided greater insight into the needs of people suffering from sight loss, he moved to Suffolk in 2001.
He worked in various towns across Suffolk and its borders but then settled into his career at Scotts Opticians in 2011 and is currently the longest serving member of staff.
Sophie Andrews
Sophie is our newest recruit. She qualified as a Dispensing Optician in August 2022 after completing the course with the Association of British Dispensing Opticians. She loves to help others find a practical and stylish solution for their eyewear, as well as helping with the tough decisions on lens types.
She started her optical career in 2015 with a well-known multiple opticians as a trainee optical assistant and working weekends. She found a real passion for the industry and quickly progressed via an apprenticeship scheme to be a fully competent optical assistant, and then started to train other members of the team as well.
Sophie believes graduating as a Dispensing Optician is by far the most rewarding thing she has ever done, and she is looking forward to furthering her career and developing new skills, as well as making sure customers are her priority.
Caroline Davies
Caroline joined Scotts Opticians in early 2022 but she began her working life in banking. After providing some emergency cover at her friend’s optical practice, she soon realised that optics could provide a career pathway that interested her more than the financial world. She gained her Optical Management and Business Studies Bsc. (Hons) degree from Anglia Ruskin University, while concurrently studying to become a Dispensing Optician and qualifying in 1999.
Since achieving the optical qualifications, Caroline has gained broad working experience at both Independent and Multiple Opticians. Her work has covered roles as Manager, Trainer, Dispenser and Laboratory assistant. She has particular interests in providing specialised dispensing products for sports, safety, fashion and bespoke spectacles. In addition, she has undertaken courses, to support dispensing to Paediatric, and Dementia patients. Caroline continues to enjoy working in the optical field, particularly in a practice that is keen to evolve to meet modern day demands.
Debbie
‘I love working and being with the public and also looking after my team by supporting and giving them confidence to grow’
Abi
‘I’ve been working in optics for over 14 years and have always enjoyed the clinical and contact lens aspect of the business and providing the best patient care’
Nick
‘I believe you are the greatest project you will ever work on but need great eyewear to see it through, so I will help you’
Aidan
‘I love enabling our customers and patients to look, feel and see their best’
Olivia
I love having the opportunity to make a positive impact on people and that within the job, there are always new things to learn'
Lisa
‘I like working with and helping our customers and patients to feel relaxed’
Sarah
‘My job is different every day and I am continually learning new things. I love the atmosphere at work and the extra treats like cake and biscuits from our lovely customers and patients’
Maureen
‘Greeting and looking after our patients from the very young to the more senior is special and it helps that my work family are second to none too’
Paul
‘I love working within a small tight knit team but being part of a larger family’
our Bury St. Edmunds Clinic
expertise steeped in history
Situated at 58 Abbeygate, right in the heart of Bury St. Edmunds, our opticians proudly honour the generations of dedication that have built not only a thriving business but also a community of local people who continue to trust the outstanding service provided by Scotts Opticians.
We take immense pride in contributing our own small legacy to the town we cherish, and we look forward to keeping our doors open for many more generations to come.
