Vision Express stores to 390 by the end of 2014. Following a further announcement on 9 December 2014, Vision Express decided to continue to trade from the Conlons store in Annan as part of its portfolio. This increased the total number of stores to 391 by the end of 2014. December 2017 saw Vision Express announce the completion of the deal to incorporate 209 Tesco Opticians into their portfolio. This increased the Vision Express store count (in the UK) to 600. By June 2018, all the Tesco Optician stores had been rebranded to VE@Tesco. In late March 2020, Vision Express closed non-essential branches indefinitely in a nationwide response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Onur Köksal, (CEO) began to initiate the furlough of all non-essential staff. A small number of clinics are said to have remained open to offer essential, emergency clinical care. From the end of 2020, to present times, the company began to resume routine testing in line with government guidance. Extra efforts followed to ensure that patients with critical care needs were prioritised over non-essential interactions. Patients were called before attending their appointments to confirm that they had not developed any symptoms of COVID-19 and nor had anyone in their household. Takeover by Grand Vision Grand Vision acquired Vision Express in 1997. The French parent company Grand Vision has stores under various brands across Europe, and the rest of the world. Under franchise agreement there is a strong Vision Express brand present also in Latvian and Lithuanian markets. These shops were acquired from GrandVision by Latvian entrepreneurs of "LU Optometrijas Centrs SIA". Currently "Vision Express" brand in Latvia and Lithuania is operated as a part of OC VISION group. References External links Vision Express website Vision Express India Vision Express Poland Vision Express Lithuania Vision Express Latvia Vision Express Philippines Eyewear companies of the United Kingdom Retail companies of the United Kingdom British companies established in 1988 Retail companies established in 1988 Eyewear retailers of the United Kingdom Companies based in Nottinghamshire 1988 establishments in the United Kingdom Ruddington