AN INDEPENDENT opticians is celebrating 10 years in business.

The Specs Factory in Chelmsford is celebrating its anniversary this week after the business first opened in April 2007.

A decade later, the family-run optician business now has three branches in Chelmsford, Ipswich and Norwich.

The independent business was founded by Duncan Hockney, and his father John, based on a vision of bringing the manufacturing and dispensing of glasses closer together; providing a more complete and cost efficient service to customers.

The Chelmsford branch, located at Moulsham Street, was the third branch to open in the region and the business now employs 11 people across all three sites.

Duncan added: “We’re extremely proud to have built a business with a very low staff turnover.

"Several of the team have been with us since we first opened. People come to us because they know they can get a great quality product supplied by knowledgeable staff.

"It’s important to us that our customers know they will see friendly, familiar faces every time they return.”