A Bury businessman who set up his own eyewear firm has earned a spot on a prestigious list which showcases the achievements of young entrepreneurs.

After breaking his glasses before an important exam, University of Manchester alumni Sid Sethi said he found himself in a dilemma - all the glasses available were either overpriced, poor quality, or both.

After being forced to pay more than £150 for a single pair of glasses, Sid was further inconvenienced when they took so long to arrive that he had to complete his exams without them.

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Frustrated with his experience, Sid decided to start his own eyewear company to right these wrongs, founding Specscart in 2017.

Its headquarters is on Union Street next to the Mill Gate Shopping Centre.

Sid, 29, said: “I founded Specscart as I realised that the options for glasses wearers were not only limited fashion-wise, but the process was often expensive and took far too long.

“Not only did I want to change the perception of glasses and turn them into fun and affordable accessories people would love to wear every day, but I wanted to change the process so that getting new glasses wasn’t seen as a chore.”

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Now with stores in Bury, Walkden and Urmston as well as online trading, Sid has earned a spot on the coveted Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list in the Retail and E-commerce category.

Earning more than £2.6m in 2023 alone, Sid is one of 30 entrepreneurs from across the continent being celebrated.

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He added: “Being named on this year’s Forbes 30 Under 30 list is like winning the National Lottery, an Oscar, and the Premier League all in one day.

“It might be my name on the list, but Specscart wouldn’t be flourishing as it is now without the dedication and hard work of everyone who works here - from back-office staff and our lab technicians to our tech team and sales assistants.

"This is a well-earned pat on the back for all of them too.”