A spokesperson for the Inspecs Group has confirmed that the group is to close down operations at Norville.
The spokesperson said: “Following completion of the Norville strategic review, as announced on 31 July 2025, the Board has explored a number of opportunities for the business with its advisers and has taken the difficult decision to close the business.”
Founded in 1898 by F. Norville, Norville began as a small Gloucester shop before growing into a leading manufacturer of prescription lenses, serving optical professionals across the UK.
The Inspecs Group acquired the manufacturing operations of the Norville Group in July 2020 from administrator, BDO LLP, for a total cash consideration of £2.4m.
The acquisition included £1.2m of freehold property for Norville’s Gloucester site and the remainder for stock, plant, intellectual property and contracts.
Last month, Inspecs rejected an approach from the Safilo Group in relation to the potential acquisition of its Eschenbach Group and BoDe businesses. Two non-binding possible cash offers to acquire the entire issued, and to be issued, share capital of Inspecs, were rejected.
Safilo stated it was “continuing to assess its options, including the possibility of making a revised offer to acquire the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Inspecs”.