THE former Crown Inn at Rumwell has started a new life this week as an opticians.

Karen May, who has set up Crown Eyecare, has worked at opticians in Wellington, Taunton, Ilminster and Chard, after moving to the area in 2003. She qualified as an optometrist in 1997 having studied at Cardiff University.

Karen and her husband Richard moved from the Quantocks to a smallholding near Hemyock to be nearer to Wellington in 2013. Richard and the couple’s son and daughter all attended Wellington School.

Karen said: “Our aim is to provide our local community with an easy to access eyecare service which is great value for money.”

Crown Eyecare employs a dispensing optician/manager and three optical assistants.

The Crown, which had previously been the Rumwell Inn, closed after trade dropped off in 2018 and planning permission for change of use was given in November last year.

Karen said the site was attractive as it had its own parking and was easy to reach.

She added: “Having worked as an optometrist in the area for over 15 years I felt there was a demand for new eyecare provision to serve the increasing population of the Wellington and Taunton area. Although there are some fantastic local opticians, it is not always easy for people to visit town centres.”

Karen and Richard bought the 200-year-old Grade II listed former pub through their business Amiryck Holdings and they also plan office space and a holiday let at the site.