One of the UK’s oldest and most prestigious ceramic producers – a supplier to the late Queen Elizabeth – has announced it is closing after more than 100 years.
Moorcroft Pottery, in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, is famed for its colourful designs. But now it has said that with “deep sadness” it has appointed receivers to place it into voluntary liquidation. Unions say 57 people hve lost their jobs as a result.
Moorcroft pottery has been highly prized by collectors since the 19th century and is still collectable today – with some rare pieces going for many thousands of pounds.
Despite its designs being sold worldwide, Moorcroft had been struggling. It warned of redundancies earlier this year because of rising costs and falling sales.
In March it said it had faced a “dramatic reduction in sales figures over many months due, in part, to the reduction in people’s disposable income for luxury goods.”
“Coupled with the increase in energy prices, which in the past two years alone have increased by almost £120,000 per annum, together with increased costs from its suppliers, the business has faced a challenging climate.”
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Great Pottery Throw Down judge Keith Brymer Jones said no business could survive such increases. “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.”
Moorcroft’s collapse is the latest casualty in an industry the UK once led the world in. In February, fellow Burslem firm Royal Stafford closed its doors for the final time at the cost of more than 70 jobs, despite a history of more than 200 years of pottery-making at the site.
Best known for English cream-coloured earthenware, the Royal Stafford brand was founded in 1845. The company was one of the few firms where all the production still took place in England.
Moorcroft has been running since the 19th century (Photo: A Eeley/The Image Factory)Portmeirion pottery, noted for its botanical designs, has also suffered as a result of recent economic turmoil. The company, which runs the Royal Worcester and Spode brands, said difficult market conditions meant it was seeking to make as many as 18 staff redundant.
Industry body Ceramics UK says the industry has suffered a huge impact from high energy prices as well as carbon costs under the UK Emissions Trading Scheme. It warned of the risks to the UK economy if the industry is offshored to cheaper manufacturing nations such as China and has also warned against unfairly priced imports as well as the additional labour costs imposed by the Autumn Budget.
It said: “This regrettable news underscores the significant challenges currently facing the UK ceramics sector, including soaring energy costs, increased international competition, and a difficult trading environment. These pressures are making it increasingly difficult for even established and celebrated manufacturers to remain viable.”
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Ceramics UK added: “We are actively engaging with the Government and relevant stakeholders to highlight the urgent need for support for our vital industry.
“We recently launched our UK Ceramics Rescue Plan to address these critical issues and advocate for measures that will ensure the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of ceramic manufacturers in the UK.” Unions have called for government support and intervention similar to that seen in the steel industry.
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