Latest news with #Moorcroft
BBC News
11-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Stoke-on-Trent pottery workers call for more government support
Pottery workers have staged a protest, calling on the government to do more to support their industry in the face of rising energy campaigners in Stoke-on-Trent said the recently unveiled industrial strategy only helped energy-intensive firms with electricity costs and not gas, which ceramics companies heavily relied on to fire their kilns.A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) said they recognised the challenges faced by potteries and that firms would benefit from broader support like the National Wealth said there were also plans to generate more energy in the UK to bring down prices. Workers in ceramics firms fear their industry is facing an existential crisis, however."I've grown up in a family of potters," said Sarah Stirling, an employee at Doulton Water Filters."It really affects me as a person to think that there might be no more pottery in Stoke-on-Trent." Claire Spate, who used to work at Moorcroft, said she was glad to see her company had been returned to family ownership but said staff were still waiting to hear whether they would get their jobs back."We understand what predicament Will [Moorcroft, the owner] is in, but we're just now waiting to get letters and to see when we can resume production," she Spate added Mr Moorcroft now had "a big job" to get the business started up said people visited Stoke-on-Trent from across the world because of the heritage and craftsmanship of its iconic pottery firms. 'It's bleak' Sharon Yates, a China cup handler at Dunoon Ceramics and GMB representative, said that although industry leaders were happy they had been recognised as an "essential" industry, companies had not been given any assurances about support with gas costs."We need immediate help for the gas to keep the kilns lit," she said."If we don't get the help with the gas, then other factories will cease to trade."Gas was needed for the initial firing, to take their products from clay to the "biscuit" stage, she said, and that electricity was unable to provide the same heat now costs six times more than it did in 2022, she added, with standing charges accounting for about two thirds of the overall price paid."It's bleak. If the government doesn't step in, more factories will close."A DBT spokesperson said: "We recognise the challenges faced by potteries in Staffordshire and ceramics businesses across the country."They added that the industrial strategy included measures which could reduce electricity bills by up to 25%, but they did not mention any measures to support gas costs. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
28-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
How Staffordshire pottery sector reacted to industrial strategy
"Pathetic", "a missed opportunity", "a four out of 10 at best" – these were some of the phrases used by the pottery industry to describe the government's industrial 10-year plan announced on Monday confirmed 7,000 businesses would see electricity bills slashed by up to 25% from 2027, while 500 firms would get a 90% cut in network charges from 2026 under the British Industry Supercharger some in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire – the heart of the UK ceramics industry – cautiously welcomed it as a "start", many have been left Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the sector was "foundational" to the UK and would benefit from the measures. Three firms in Stoke-on-Trent have collapsed since the start of 2025 – Royal Stafford, Heraldic Pottery and Moorcroft, though the latter was recently bought by the founder's companies, workers and unions have been calling on the government to support the industry, which has become beset by rising energy prices and falling sales. After the spending review came and went, ministers including Ed Miliband said support would be revealed in the Industrial following its announcement, many questioned why ceramics was barely mentioned in the document and wondered where the actions were regarding the cost of gas – the dominant energy source in the association Ceramics UK accused the government of misleading and misunderstanding the UK chief executive Rob Flello said: "This represents a missed opportunity to back one of the UK's most enduring and strategically important manufacturing industries."Fifth-generation ceramicist Emily Johnson, owner of Barlaston-based 1882 Ltd, had previously described the industry as being "on its knees".On the industrial strategy, she said: "Pathetic, is a word. I think that we've been let down again."But you know what, Stoke is resilient and we are not going to get the support that we need from them so we're just going to have to do it ourselves." Beverley Berry was one of the 57 workers at Moorcroft who lost her job, and she has been campaigning for government help ever said she was left "disappointed" by the strategy and questioned whether it was all worth it."I feel quite pessimistic about it. When I first heard the news and thought it was imminent that we were going to help, I thought it wasn't all in vain," she Laver, CEO of Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce, gave the strategy a "four out of 10 at best" and said businesses needed support "now"."Stoke-on-Trent is only mentioned once on page 41 – that's it," she said. "If we were the steel industry, I think we would have had much more support thrown at us and we don't want to see more businesses go to the wall." There were those who were cautiously optimistic, including Portmeirion boss Mike Raybould, who said the measures were "a start" but called for faster action."It's good that they're recognising and finally talking about the UK ceramics industry," he told BBC Radio Stoke."But we need to see the detail, we need to see faster action and I suspect we probably need to see more support as well."While the support with electricity bills was welcome, Mr Raybould said firms wanted to see support with gas prices too, describing it as the more "dominant" form of energy in the new owner Will Moorcroft, grandson of founder William Moorcroft, also said the measures were "a start" but were unlikely to make a huge difference."There's still a lot of work to be done and, without getting political, there could be quicker decisions that could be made to help business, whether it's national insurance or business rates," he said. 'Foundational sector' In his statement in the House of Commons, Reynolds said ceramics was "recognised as a foundational sector" in the strategy,"Its principal request is about energy prices. There are some ceramics businesses - I accept not that many - that get the supercharger [discount] and will get the more generous rate."He said, however, the costs of a lot of those businesses did not match the intensity test the supercharger discount was based on."That is exactly why the British industrial competitiveness scheme has been designed in such a way that they will benefit from it, and that will be a game-changer for them," he gas prices, he said they were projected to fall "from the very significant level that they have been at" in future financial years. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
19-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Stoke-on-Trent's William Moorcroft-designed vase sells for £31k
A 111-year-old Moorcroft vase has sold for what auctioneers claim is a record-breaking sum for the brand, of £31, Flambe Carp vase, designed in about 1914 by Staffordshire potter William Moorcroft, sold on Woolley and Wallis said it was the highest price a Moorcroft piece had ever been sold for at auction, breaking a record of £26,840, set when the same vase sold in sale came days after Stoke-on-Trent-based Moorcroft Pottery, which collapsed in April, was bought by Will Moorcroft, grandson of William Moorcroft – the firm's founder. Michael Jeffrey, a specialist with Salisbury-based Woolley and Wallis, said the sale came at a "poignant time" for the factory, workers and told BBC Radio Stoke he was "amazed" at the amount it sold for, having set an initial guide price for the sale of between £6,000 and £10,000. "Obviously it's a wonderful piece and Moorcroft collectors remember it from last time," he added. "I think Moorcroft being in the news the whole time helped."The double gourd-shaped vase is decorated with three carp fish swimming around it, painted in a technique mastered by Mr Moorcroft called Jeffrey said the winning bid was made by a private collector and the vase would be staying in the same bidder also bought a similar Moorcroft vase during the auction for £25,200. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
16-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Ex-Moorcroft pottery workers 'overwhelmed' after firm bought
Former workers have said they felt "overwhelmed" after collapsed pottery firm Moorcroft was bought by the founder's Stoke-on-Trent-based company went out of business in April after more than 100 years, leaving its 57-strong workforce without Saturday, it emerged that Will Moorcroft, grandson of founder William Moorcroft, had purchased the company and was hoping to restart operations at its Cobridge to the news, Claire Spate, who worked at Moorcroft for 27 years, told BBC Radio Stoke: "I was so happy that it had gone to Will… I was overwhelmed." She said everyone who had worked there was "so chuffed" the company was back with the founder's family."It means so much to us all," she added. "If you cut my heart open, Moorcroft is in the middle, as it is with all the staff who have ever worked there." Mr Moorcroft said he was considering moving production away from its site in Burslem and focusing solely on the Cobridge said he hoped to bring back at least 30 of the 57 workers who lost their jobs in Spate said she would be "ecstatic" if she was one of those who was asked to return."Every single person who goes back is going to be 100% behind Will and we've got to make it work," she said."The product is so beautiful and I'm so determined when we go back that it will be more popular than ever." 'Emotional rollercoaster' Beverly Berry, a former painter and designer who worked at Moorcroft for 36 years, said the last few weeks since she lost her job there had been "horrendous" and she had applied for multiple said hearing the news of the firm being purchased was "absolutely amazing"."It's back where it belongs, back in the Moorcroft family. That's where it should always be," she added."It's been an emotional rollercoaster and it's gone up to the top at the moment." Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
08-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Stoke pottery firm's plea to help industry 'on its knees'
Ahead of the government spending review on Wednesday, pottery bosses are not holding out hope for it to contain support with spiralling energy or employment costs. "Our industry is on its knees," said fifth generation ceramicist Emily Johnson, from one of the oldest traditional Stoke-on-Trent manufacturing families - the Johnson brothers. "There is a lot of hope and opportunity, however, we need help. If our industry fails, where do people work?"The Department for Business and Trade said: "Ministers continue to engage closely with the ceramics sector to understand the challenges and provide support, ensuring the industry is globally competitive as part of our Plan for Change." In 2011, Ms Johnson established 1882 Ltd, one of the youngest ceramics firms in Staffordshire. She said she did not believe ministers would step in: Although the pottery industry has been in decline for decades, 2025 has seen a quick succession of three Stoke-on-Trent manufacturers going bump, citing energy bills as the events included:The February collapse of historic firm Royal Stafford along with the loss of 70 jobs, followed by Heraldic Pottery going into liquidation, and other firms working on reduced hours. Moorcroft's trading end in April. The company stated its energy costs had gone up almost £250,000 over the past two March, in between the events, industry bosses and unions pitched a rescue plan to ministers in "make or break" meetings, including Labour Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Gareth Snell who said help could not come fast Ms Johnson said she believed that while "our local MPs are doing all they can", they were just "getting lip service" from ministerial colleagues."We don't need lip service," she said, "we need help." Without it, she added, the future of factories, and the industry itself, were in jeopardy. The 1882 Ltd firm has a factory within the Wedgwood site in Barlaston, employs 23 potters, and operates ten electric kilns for firing products, as opposed to the traditional gas operator Nathan Platt said that insulating kilns with bricks made them more efficient, however they still used a lot of energy. "The gas kilns, it's a lot of money. Electric, it's a lot of money. But I'd say electric kilns are smaller, easier to fill, easier to empty quicker," he said. With an ageing workforce within the industry, there are fears those with specialised skills will literally die out. Andrew Henshall, a potter for 50 years, and one of only a handful of ceramic modellers left, said he was positive there remained a demand for handmade despite a changing market, he likes an approach that prioritises the potential of the craft."It's not who can make the cheapest mug or who can make the cheapest teapot now," he said. "It's often guided by designers who say they want to create a new range, or create something beautiful." Rob Flello, chief executive of Ceramics UK, said he believed the government was listening, but whether the message cut through to the treasury remained to be seen."All we're asking really is that some of the burdens that are placed on our industry are lifted, so those taxes, those levies - get those lifted off."
