The new opticians Specsavers will open its doors on Monday 30 November in the former library (119 High Street), in Midsomer, operating as a sister store to the existing neighbouring Bath practice.

The business will be run by three directors, Phil Lodge, Masumi Jethwa and Matthew Watt who have more than 58 optical years' experience between them. They are also familiar faces to Specsavers, as Phil and Masumi head up the Bath store, while Matthew has been working at Specsavers in Bristol. And, as part of the opening, the store has already recruited eight local staff to join the team.

Of the ten-strong team, five are from Midsomer and they can all walk to work.

'We're really excited to be launching the new store and welcoming customers through the doors,' comments Phil. 'It'll be great to have two stores, both offering the same excellent standards in optical and audiology care – making a trip to the opticians as accessible as possible for our customers.

'Like all Specsavers stores throughout England during lockdown, we are remaining open for all eye care and hearing needs in accordance with government guidelines. The team in Midsomer Norton, as is the case in the Bath store, will be using personal protective equipment (PPE), wearing face masks and other PPE during tests, and all testing equipment and frames will be thoroughly sanitised before and after each use. Customers are also asked to request an appointment in advance by phone or online to help manage social distancing and minimise time spent in store.'

The brand-new store has three optical consulting rooms, a contact lens area and a dedicated sound-proof room for audiology. It boasts all the latest high-tech optical equipment, including an advanced eye scanning system that helps to detect several eye conditions, such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy. The Heidelberg 3D Optical Coherence Tomography machine (OCT) is similar to an ultrasound but uses light instead of sound waves to create a picture from the reflections – in this case, the back of the eye.

OCT scans are additional to the normal eye test and can be requested when the appointment is booked or when the customer arrives in store. The cost of this scan (£10) is not covered by the NHS examination.

Specsavers Midsomer Norton will be open seven days a week, with hearing appointments available two days a week. You can make an appointment online by visiting www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/midsomernorton or by calling 01761 416466.