Crown finds buyer for 12 stores

Family-run Blackburn optical firm Crown Eyeglass has sold 12 of its stores to Vision Express, after the owner of the business stated he may have to close the operation down.

Founder Joseph Lee, now 81, had been looking for a buyer for his Glenfield Park headquarters and 18 shops around the UK, but with no offers forthcoming it was looking likely that the business would fold at the cost of 78 jobs.

Vision Express has now purchased 12 of these shops. It will close eight of them, whilst retaining the staff, and continue to operate the other four under its own branding. 

Jonathan Lawson, chief executive of Vision Express,  said: "This is a very exciting investment for us and we are looking forward to working with our new teams and welcoming new customers to Vision Express. “We hope to replicate some of the successes we have had in our existing high street stores and continue to provide more customers with an excellent eye care service, a wider range of products, as well as value for money.”