Pottery firm goes bust after more than 100 years

The directors of Moorcroft Pottery have announced the firm has stopped trading after more than 100 years, which the GMB Union says means the loss of 57 jobs.

In a post on social media on Wednesday, bosses at the Stoke-on-Trent firm, based in Burslem, said they had told insolvency business Moore Recovery to help with voluntarily liquidating the company.

They said Moore would contact creditors in due course but did not give an explanation for the firm's closure. However, industry commentators have blamed an increase in energy costs.

Moorcroft had warned in March of possible redundancies and at the time cited rising costs and falling sales.

The news of Moorcroft's collapse is the latest blow to the pottery industry in Stoke-on-Trent, a city affectionately known as The Potteries.

The city is recognised for its global influence with pottery - having been granted a World Craft City Status just last year.

Its official tourist website proudly states: "We are the World Capital of Ceramics."

However, 2025 has proved to be a disastrous year for the city's pottery industry.

In February, Royal Stafford, also based in Burslem, called in administrators.

The firm's collapse followed the closure of Dudson in 2019, Wade in Longton two years ago and Johnsons Tiles in 2024.

In March, Moorcroft warned of the threat of redundancies, stating their energy costs had gone up almost £250,000 over the past two years.

Great Pottery Throw Down judge Keith Brymer Jones said no business could sustain such an increase.

"It's incredibly sad news," he told BBC Radio Stoke. "We've been crying out for support for the ceramics industry and Stoke-on-Trent as a whole for years.

"It's never been considered a major industry in this country."

Rob Flello, the chief executive of Ceramics UK, which is based in the city, called for the government to step in and support the sector.

"Successive governments have just hammered the UK ceramics industry with things like carbon taxes and a whole raft of other taxes that these cheap imports just don't have to worry about," he said.

Chris Hoofe, GMB organiser, also urged the government to act, adding high energy costs were "crippling" the sector.

"The closure of Moorcroft is devastating news for workers and their families, but unfortunately it's not a surprise," he said.

A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade said: "We know this will be a concerning time for Moorcroft Pottery workers and their families.

"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."

Speaking about the impact of the loss on the city, Brymer Jones said it was about more than just 57 jobs.

"It's 57 families that are connected to those jobs and the surrounding area, the support network, the shops the cafes that all go with it.

"We're bloody good at making stuff here, there's a longstanding tradition of ceramics and we sell ceramics all over the world and we literally can't afford to lose this skillset."

Moorcroft Pottery traces its roots back to 1897 and has been based at its current site in Sandbach Road since 1913.

According to its website, the firm's founder William Moorcroft was able to produce pottery from its current site thanks to the support of London department store Liberty.

After winning a number of prestigious international awards, Moorcroft was appointed as Potter to HM The Queen in 1928.

The firm's royal patronage continued when the late Queen Elizabeth II added Moorcroft designs into the Royal Collection.

The brand was also popular with US presidents and British prime ministers, according to the firm.

City council leader Jane Ashworth said Moorcroft had been a major part of Stoke-on-Trent's heritage in ceramics.

"Our teams have been working closely and intensively with Moorcroft to try to find a solution but unfortunately this has not been possible," she said.

"The fact is global and national headwinds - including high energy prices and a rash of cheap, illegal forgeries from overseas - have made life very difficult for manufacturers.

"We have lobbied - and will continue to lobby - the government to provide specific support for this vital and valuable sector."

She added the authority would provide support for affected employees to help them find new jobs.

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