Lenstec to close Leeds site

The Lenstec Optical Group has today proposed plans to close its site in Rawdon, Leeds, and has entered a period of consultation with the site’s impacted staff.

Nigel Castle, managing director for Lenstec, said: “Many household names have disappeared from the High Street in recent periods as more and more consumer activity is conducted online.

“Similarly, we have seen independent opticians’ market share decline due to economic downturn, increased competition, consolidation and pressure from online retailers.

“Therefore, given the independent optician is a core focus and currently served from multiple sites, we have proposed to simplify our footprint to better meet their needs . This has left us with no alternative but to consider closing the Rawdon site in Leeds this year, which could see around 21 positions put at risk of redundancy.

“Full support will be given to staff throughout the consultation period, including the application process for other job opportunities within other Lenstec Group locations, as a result of these proposed changes, and our commitment to our Independent high street ECPs remains as strong as ever with continued investment at larger Group sites.

“We are communicating our proposals to restructure with our Independent customers base and will consult fully on any changes that may affect them.”

Lenstec is part of the Essilor Group.

The Essilor Group in the UK acquired the remainder of the Lenstec Optical Group shareholding from owners Nigel Castle and Gerard Donovan in 2021, after acquiring a minority shareholding through Shamir in 2016.