Specs illustrated courtesy of Rockoptica, Hastings
Remaining nostalgic for France, I've taken to listening to France Info on my car radio - it gives me a quick insight into what's happening across the Channel as I drive to the supermarket. This was how I learnt the other day about the recent report on pricing in the French spectacles market, which said a lot about the slightly surreal world of French business.
The report found that the average price of a pair of glasses in France is €470 (at present exchange rates, about £410), giving a hefty profit margin to opticians. The reason for this is not - as you might think - that demand exceeds supply. It is because there has been such an expansion in the number of opticians that the individual shops have been obliged to raise their prices in order to remain in business. In most countries competitive forces are such that prices are forced downwards. In France, on the contrary, prices can be maintained at an artificially high level because of the lack of price competition. Demand falls off? raise your price!
We've had an inside view of the eyewear industry as a result of meeting Tom Herrington in Hastings, founder and owner of Rockoptica, suppliers of frames to - initially, a limited public, but now - such celebs as Liam Gallagher and Graham Norton. We discovered Rockoptica's premises in Hastings' George Street on our arrival back in the UK, and acquired frames that we took along to our ophthalmologist in the wilds of Surrey. He was sceptical at the start, but was then so impressed that he's included the range in the frames he supplies from his several branches.
Tom has now closed his retail outlet in Hastings in order to focus on wholesale distribution, which has to be the right move for him. We tease him about the convertible Bentley that he'll be able to buy before too long. It's great to see someone start up a business with a really good product and make a go of it. The irony is that our trendy frames were made in France.
Antony Mair
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