Mary Perkins sold for £2 million in 1980, and continue to receive income from. After the sale the couple moved to Guernsey, where Mary's father had retired. Mary and Doug Perkins established Specsavers in Guernsey in 1984. In 2007 it was the largest privately owned opticians in the world, with nearly 900 stores across the UK and Europe. By 2011 the company had an annual turnover of £1.5bn and over 30,000 staff in markets in the UK, Europe and Australasia. Her current title at Specsavers is "founder". Dame Mary sits on the company board, oversees business development and has particular responsibility for
Association of British Dispensing Opticians "Bishops Bridge Road" (A4206), between Royal Oak tube station, to the west, and London Paddington station, to the east. It is opposite the Hallfield Estate. ABDO College was established at Godmersham Park, Godmersham, Kent, in 2001, on the A28. Also based at the ABDO's headquarters are the Federation of Manufacturing Opticians and Federation of Ophthalmic & Dispensing Opticians. It has a publishing division at Crowborough in East Sussex. Training to become an optician is available at British universities. ABDO represents the interests at a national level of British dispensing opticians. It is one of the five representative bodies that make