...... a rhetorical question why doesn’t the city council protect its grand, unique factories  - as flats, as malls, whatever – rather than removing all traces of what makes the city of any interest to the world? Though I’m from Stoke-on-Trent and worked in the pottery industry in the 1970s I now live in oxford (though return often), where 19^th century factory buildings of far lesser merit than most of the pot works have at least their facades preserved (a little like Twyfords Cliffe Vale works, though that could have been done far better). 

Twyfords Cliffe Vale works - October 2008

Even in Manchester relatively faceless old places get preserved as hotels etc. In Stoke’s case, removing historic & architecturally imposing pottery factories from the city landscape  - Masons, Johnsons, Woods, Meakin, Old Foley, Doulton have all been wiped out in the last few years, with nothing to replace them - is like removing the Roman & Mediaeval walls from Chester. It’s what makes this place special, and gives the people who live here an identity and, of course, others a reason to visit or to settle here.

Therefore this policy doesn’t provide grounds for ‘regeneration’, it removes the most likely reasons why people want to live here or move here: the city has to be more than a collection of warehouses, call centres and dormitory housing if it is to attract newcomers or keep the locals.  Can’t they see what damage they’re doing? They’re killing Stoke-on-Trent and turning it into an anonymous (sub)urban area that could be observed in many rundown states in the mid-west USA.

Weatherby works, Hanley in Feb 2008
a grade II listed building in a poor state of repair

Top Bridge Pottery (Price & Kensington) warehouse in Feb 2008
a grade II listed building in a very poor state of repair

Apologies for the rant, but this policy of destruction is an unfolding tragedy that can never be recovered. Surely there must be some people in power who realise that unless something is done ‘The Potteries’ will be lost forever? 
 

The Boundary Works, King Street - 'grimier and  tattier everyday'

[the number of] ...listed buildings is a remarkably small number (193 last time I looked) for such a large conurbation. And even then it isn’t clear that listing is adhered to in spirit – the Boundary works gets grimier and tattier every time I go past it and I can only assume its owners are happy to let it crumble and then flatten it when it becomes ‘dangerous’. A devious but doubtless effective tactic.

The current collapse in development means that perhaps the pressure is off from the Modwen’s of this world, and maybe the collapse in the value of the pound might help the few old firms that are left in business – Hudson & Middleton, Burgess & Leigh (the intervention of the Dorlings was a particularly uplifting story), Aynsley’s, Duchess and the like.  

Tam's former Blyth works on Uttoxeter Road

Simpsons historic Soho works in Cobridge - in limbo, awaiting full demolition?

My own feeling is that Tam’s former head office in Uttoxeter road (just up from the Blyth works) - which is an old works itself ....... – is in particular danger since the company closed. Simpsons historic Soho works in Cobridge is in limbo – windows boarded up awaiting full demolition (including the 1848 date plaque, surely they could save the front building/facade!?) presumably.