SPECSAVERS Pontypridd is celebrating a hat-trick of anniversaries among three of its long-standing employees, who are marking 80 years of service between them.
Retail director, Paul Molton [60] and store manager, Emma Davies [47], are both celebrating 30 years of service, while lab manager, Luke Sullivan [40], is marking 20 years with the high street opticians in Pontypridd.
Mr Molton began his Specsavers journey as a lab manager in 1987 in the Cardiff store, following five years of working in optics. In 1994, he moved into a retail role at the Pontypridd store, where he and his colleague, Huw Rowland, worked as locums.
Originally from Bristol, Mr Molton fell in love with Pontypridd. A year later, when he learned that Specsavers was seeking new partners for the Pontypridd store, he and Mr Rowland pursued the opportunity, with Mr Molton becoming retail director and Mr Rowland joining as ophthalmic director.
Mr Molton said: “There have been many memorable moments over the last 30 years in our store, the biggest being overcoming the floods of Storm Dennis in February 2020, which flooded our basement with over one metre of water.
“A more positive highlight was winning the first ever Dame Mary award for customer service in September 2023, which was a great honour.”
Mr Molton’s first employee after becoming retail director in 1995 was Emma Davies. Ms Davies started her career at Specsavers with just a clipboard and pen, some basic test room equipment and just 50 glasses on display. This is in stark contrast to the 1,200 glasses available in store today and state-of-the-art testing machinery, including an advanced OCT machine, which is capable of detecting early signs of glaucoma and macular degeneration in their earliest stages.
Ms Davies began at Specsavers as a receptionist and quickly discovered her enthusiasm for interacting with customers. She pursued an Open University course, earning a Diploma as an ophthalmic clinical assistant, and advanced to the position of store manager at the Specsavers Pontypridd in 2000.
Ms Davies said: “Being part of the team we have built has been an incredibly rewarding journey. Working alongside Paul has been a real honour – he has not only become a dear friend but an exceptional director.
“Managing a team of nearly 40 people has been both a challenge and a rewarding experience. Over the years, I have learned that fostering a supportive environment through an open-door policy and always being available for my team is key to success.
“The 2020 flood and the COVID-19 pandemic were undoubtedly some of the toughest challenges we faced, but we emerged from them stronger than ever. I am incredibly proud of all we have achieved here at Specsavers Pontypridd and I look forward to the exciting opportunities that lie ahead.”
Also celebrating an anniversary is lab manager, Luke Sullivan. While working at B&Q and studying for an electrical engineering course, Mr Sullivan had an accident that prevented him from continuing his studies, leading him to look for full-time work.
Reflecting on his time with the store, Mr Sullivan said: “Over the past 20 years, I have worked my way up to become lab manager of the practice.
“I thought that working at Specsavers Pontypridd would be a stepping stone in my career, but it has become a fantastic career in its own right. Because the position has allowed me to enjoy a variety of tasks, I have found great satisfaction in it.”
Over the past three decades, Pontypridd Specsavers has undergone significant changes. In 1995, the store saw around 50 eye tests per week with one optician. After relocating in 2005 to larger premises, the store now has eight testing rooms, which can see around 600 customers every week. The team, once manually recording customer information, now uses removable tablets to access and input data seamlessly throughout the store.
Optometrist director of Specsavers in Pontypridd, Geraint Jones, added: “We take immense pride in the contributions of Paul, Emma and Luke. Their collective 80 years of service exemplify the commitment and diligence they bring to our team. Their expertise ensures that customers are always at the centre of everything we do and, most importantly, receive first-class eye care.”
The three team members marked the occasion with a celebratory breakfast. They have also received a card thanking them from company founders, Dame Mary and Doug Perkins.
To find out more information about Specsavers in Pontypridd, request an appointment or browse the online store, visit Specsavers Pontypridd webpage.
Additionally, to make eye health accessible to all, the store offers a Home Visits service for those unable to leave their homes unaccompanied due to disability or illness.
