Spectacle importer from Italy eyeing bright Burnley future

Mr Alberto Da Rin, who hails from the Dolomites region of northern Italy, will next year celebrate 20 years in charge of Murano Eyewear, based in the Business First Burnley building in Lowerhouse.

The business, which sources Italian-made frames for spectacles from Alberto’s childhood home, counts opticians around the country as its main customers.

And visitors to those opticians could enter a prize draw to win a holiday to the beautiful city of Venice.

Alberto (48) said: “I first came to Burnley when I was 22 because I wanted to learn English. I worked as a pizza chef in various restaurants around the region while learning the language at Nelson and Colne College.

“I eventually came out with a certificate allowing me to teach English as a foreign language and went back home to Italy.

“However, my big passion was to take up the industry of my home region, which was making spectacles. As much as Lancashire was famous for textiles, the Dolomites were famous for spectacles.

“In 1998 I returned to the UK and set up Murano. I love it here in Lancashire and I have made Burnley my home.”

Alberto now employs four members of staff in Burnley and eight sales reps, while importing the spectacle frames from Italy.

And for this Italian Burnleyite there was only one choice of person to draw the holiday prize, but Mayor of Burnley Coun. Howard Baker who visited his office to pick out the lucky winner.