Rodney Davis, founder of Davis Optometrists, Kettering back at the practice he began in the town.
His children Kim and Jeremy, also opticians, expanded the business across the area
His children Kim and Jeremy, also opticians, expanded the business across the area
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00:00 95 years old.
00:02 And don't forget, over 94 and a half.
00:07 We started the practice,
00:09 I started the practice in
00:13 1963.
00:16 So it's just me and two girls,
00:19 one doing admin, and
00:22 we had a little shop in Gold Street.
00:26 Ten years later, we bought this wrecked
00:30 Victorian house, and my wife and I, who were partners, spent a lot of time doing it up
00:38 and produced what we have now.
00:40 It was a complete wreck, it was
00:44 worm-eaten, it was dreadful, everything had to come out.
00:51 We asked how much it would cost
00:54 to get rid of the
00:56 staircase, I remember, they said a thousand pounds.
01:00 So we pulled it out and burned it ourselves for nothing,
01:05 which is a much better idea.
01:07 Still two girls and me,
01:11 until the
01:15 children, at that time, qualified. So I had Kim first joining me, and then we had
01:25 Jeremy. I left when I was 70, I retired, and the kids,
01:30 Jeremy and Kim, but
01:35 90% Kim, I suppose, has
01:39 expanded, took over Market Harbour, and that's made an absolutely
01:44 wonderful job of it. So it's the place it is now is
01:51 unrecognisable from what it was, and it's absolutely splendid. I'm very proud of them, very proud of the whole lot.
01:58 And I'm very proud of the
02:01 of the practice and our business ethic, which is exactly the opposite of the
02:09 sort of high street places that you get.
02:14 Here's to it. Here's to us.
02:19 Cheers to us.
02:21 (laughing)