Thompson Opticians Reviews 

Really pleased with my experience at Thompson Opticians , following my test the staff carefully explained all the lens options available, and were very helpful in selecting suitable frames , I bought two pairs including a pair of prescription sunglasses , picked them up today , perfect, very impressed by the quality and speed of delivery. Highly recommend .

I had been considering buying my first pair of varifocals from Thompson and had made two visits to the practice. On my second visit in particular I got on very well with the member of staff, who spent time helping me try frames and took photographs so I could consider them at home.

The member of staff there had told me that if I found a frame elsewhere, Thompson might be able to order it depending on the manufacturer. I therefore asked whether they could tell me which manufacturers they could order from, so that I didn’t waste time finding frames they could not obtain.

The member of staff subsequently called me and said they could not provide a list, but that the manufacturers represented by frames in the shop were the manufacturers they could order from. I asked whether she could therefore send me a list of those manufacturers. When the conversation drifted away from that question, I said words to the effect of, “ it’s quite a simple request — you can either do it or you can’t.”

She then told me that she felt unsafe with me, that I should go somewhere else, and that if I returned to the practice she would call the police.

I was genuinely shocked. Nothing remotely like that had occurred during either of my visits, and I had thought we had got on particularly well on the second one. I had made a deliberate effort to be friendly and understanding because she had seemed nervous when answering some of my earlier questions.

I will obviously not return. I cannot explain what prompted such an extraordinary escalation from a straightforward question about frame manufacturers, but it has ended what had otherwise been a serious intention to spend several hundred pounds on glasses with Thompson.

Alnwick Branch Ive been using this branch for over 5 years and find the staff ,both front office and opticians ,very pleasant and helpful.
It's one of the few places where you can get completely untreated lenses, which I need because they are then sent off for special prescription tints.
Very happy to put lenses into existing frames as long as the frames aren't warped.

Absolutely amazing service from start to finish. The glasses are the best I've ever had. I really cannot recommend the Alnwick branch enough. Thank you 😀

What an incredibly rude pair—the optician and his secretary! I am referring to the ones at the Adelaide Terrace in Newcastle near Benwell Asda. We had a 9am appointment yesterday for my disabled dad, who is extremely hard to transport due to severe mobility issues, a colostomy, and nephrostomy bags. We arrived at 9:06am due to trouble finding parking close to the clinic-shop, to reduce how much he had to walk. The secretary gave a fake grin and said she'd check if he could still be seen, but I watched her poke her head into the back room, where she and the optician silently exchanged scowling looks and shook their heads. She returned with the same forced smile and said it was too late, the next appointment was due. I pointed out we were only 6 minutes late and explained how much effort it took to bring my dad in. But with that unsettling grin, she just said, “My computer showed 9:10 when you arrived, so you can’t be seen.” No humanity or understanding. Attached is a screenshot showing his tubes and weight on a mobility cart at Tesco Kingspark, where we stopped to book glasses.

Very kindly my little girls glasses were fixed while we were in the area on holiday. The gentleman made no charge for his services which was very kind of him.

I am extremely happy with the Gosforth branch (I haven’t used any of the others so can’t comment) and would have no hesitation in recommending them.
I have just called them and asked for a replacement pair of glasses for my son as he left them behind on a school trip. I explained how he struggled at school without them. The lady I dealt with (Ann, I think) was exceptional. She said she would do her best to get them made by Monday at the latest (it’s Wednesday today) but hopefully before. She called me back and confirmed what was happening to reassure me.
That’s what you call good old fashioned courtesy and customer service.
Both my kids go there, as well as my husband. I’ve only ever used a high street chain for my 3 yearly check ups but next time I’m due, I’ll be booking in with Thompsons.

Great staff so helpful, if they ring and you can’t answer they always leave a text , really good place to get your lenses glasses and eye test , , phone up about lenses booked in lenses were ready in a few day , that’s what I call customer service

No regard for child’s emotional well being.

I explained that my daughter was very nervous about the eye exam prior to going in. Kathryn, the optician at the Alnwick branch, told me I’d probably talked to my daughter about it too much. However, I know my daughter and if I’d simply drive her there without explanation she’d have been very upset. The examination started ok but when the optician started to go beyond what we’d agreed and discussed my daughter used her safe word (which we’d agreed before hand). I asked if we could stop for a moment so I could make sure my daughter was ok, the optician became quite aggressive and said that i should just let her do her job. I said no, I need a moment with my daughter as she was becoming upset. She argued some more at which point I told her it was not her place to decide my daughters state of mind. She argued further and I said ok we’re leaving. I said I’d be putting in a complaint (and did) and left. As walked away from the shop we saw her laughing and telling the story to the receptionist. In short, if you do not wish to put your child through an emotionally stressful situation with a person who seems to think that children should sit down and shut up then I would avoid this branch. I cannot speak for other branches.

I am very disappointed with the service I received from the Leam Lane branch in Gateshead. I bought a pair of glasses a year ago which has since broken while sat on my face 3times. The last time was 16days ago and they said that it is because the frames cannot support my prescribed lenses... Why would they have not mentioned this when I bought them or after the first or second time they broke? I will tell you why.. For money. For the past two weeks I have had to wear a pair of glasses that are 5years old, suffering headaches and sore eyes due to squinting. I cannot afford to buy more glasses right now, I receive an NHS voucher when I buy my glasses and even when I chose the cheaper pair and use the voucher it is still expensive, they said they will get them fixed. I called last week they still had my glasses sitting there, my husband called yesterday and today and was told someone will look at them tomorrow. I will NEVER go here again as I feel extremely disappointed and let down by people claiming they care about eye health and care when they have let me sit in pain for the past two weeks not helping me at all and in no rush to help me either.

Very good , considerate staff

They are a very caring fair and helpful, not pushy, but ready to help if things go wrong.
Been with them several years now, wouldn't go anywhere else.

Excellent service, no hard sell like you experience in the big chain stores! I was surprised that the cost was actually cheaper than certain 'big names' who never seem to sell at their advertised headline prices.