Only on Wednesday at Prime Minister’s Questions I called for stronger support for the ceramics industry – the industry my mum proudly worked in – because it matters so much to communities like ours. So when I heard the news about the Denby Group which owns Burleigh, I cannot begin to describe the collective upset many of us felt.
Burleigh is renowned around the world for its incredible Pottery, and the 62 people working there hold nearly 700 years of skill and craftsmanship between them. That’s not just jobs – that’s generations of knowledge and pride in our city.
I have met with Burleigh’s management alongside the City Council Leader. And first thing this morning I spoke on the phone to the Government minister. Burleigh has a future, it is part of our Stoke-on-Trent’s identity, and I’m determined it will be here for generations to come.