The husband and wife behind the world’s largest high street opticians met on their first day at Cardiff University in 1962. By the end of their first term, Doug had proposed. After graduating they built up their first chain, Bebbington and Perkins, into a group of 23 stores before selling up while still in their 30s. Within four years they were back, starting Specsavers from a ping pong table at their family home on the Channel Island of Guernsey. Deregulation of opticians during the Thatcher era helped speed the growth of the business and Specsavers’ annual turnover now exceeds £4bn. The pair are in their early 80s but remain heavily involved in the business, with Mary donning disguises to ensure she’s not spotted while on mystery shopper trips to her stores.