03/06/2024

Middleport Pottery is celebrating its 10th Anniversary as a heritage visitor attraction and creative hub

Situated in the heart of Stoke-on-Tent, Middleport Pottery is the UK’s last working Victorian pottery factory in continuous production and remains home to world-famous Burleigh pottery. In 2023 over 50,000 visitors passed through its doors to enjoy everything the site has to offer.

Middleport Pottery offers visitors the opportunity to take part in tours of the Burleigh factory, take part in a self-guided heritage trail, have something to eat at The Packing House Café, and visit the Burleigh Factory Shop and the independent creative studios of Port Street Range and Harper Street. It is also establishing itself as a unique wedding venue.

Middleport Pottery was built by Burgess & Leigh (Burleigh) in the late nineteenth century; however, the Grade II*-listed pottery took on a new lease of life when it opened its doors to the public for the first time in June 2014.

In 2011 The Prince’s Regeneration Trust acquired the site and it was through public and private funding that Middleport Pottery was saved from closure. The site underwent substantial remodelling and renovation, transforming it into a visitor attraction and a centre for creative businesses. Current site owner Re-Form Heritage were given their independence from The Prince’s Regeneration Trust in 2019.

Re-Form Heritage has continued to develop the site by regenerating the terraced houses of Harper Street located across from the main pottery entrance. This new site offer opened in May 2022 and features new workshop space for creative businesses, a community hub for community group Middleport Matters, an archive store for the Burleigh archive, and additional office space for the charity. Harper Street holds significant historical links to Middleport Pottery as the end terrace was the Lodge Keeper’s house. The “How we lived at Harper Street” exhibit in this house highlights life in the Potteries during the 1950’s.

Middleport Pottery is the flagship heritage building of the Stoke-on-Trent charity Re-Form Heritage and has become a blueprint for future regeneration projects. In December 2023, Re-Form Heritage was appointed the Heritage Development Trust for Stoke-on-Trent and is currently working with Stoke-on-Trent City Council and other stakeholders to identify further appropriate buildings for regeneration in the city.

“The 10^th anniversary of the completion of the regeneration of Middleport Pottery, and its opening to the public as a heritage attraction and creative hub, marks a significant moment for the site, for heritage regeneration efforts in Stoke-on-Trent, and for Re-Form Heritage. We welcome the opportunity to invite the public to help us celebrate this important anniversary while we reflect on how this can inform the expansion of heritage regeneration efforts in this amazing city” – Dr Alasdair Brooks, Chief Executive Re-Form Heritage / Middleport Pottery.

To celebrate the milestone 10th anniversary of its successful regeneration, Middleport Pottery is hosting the following anniversary events:

June

20 June – Afternoon Talk – “Celebrating The Packing House Café Artwork” hosted by Joyce Iwaszko

23rd June – SOLD OUT - Walking Tour - Wood and Wedgwood in Burslem

24^th June to 28^th June – Anniversary Open Days (250 Free Heritage Trail tickets will be released on Monday 10^th June for use between these dates)

26^th June – Dane Narrowboat Trip – Middleport Pottery to Harecastle Tunnel

28^th June - Phil Crow Free Talk & Photography Exhibition “We are Middleport”

29^th June to 1^st August - Phil Crow Free Photography Exhibition “We are Middleport”

July

3^rd & 5^th July - Middleport Movie Days

The Card showing at 10.30am and A Pottery Girl’s Romance showing at 1.30pm

9^th July – Middleport Pottery Blue Plaque Unveiling

At 11am the Arnold Bennett Society will unveil a blue plaque to recognise Bennett basing “The Providence Works” on Middleport Pottery