010: Good News for Stoke & Staffordshire 🎉
Art at Spode, Yoga at Wedgwood, Northern Soul, Stoke Station Transformation, N-U-L Development, Price & Kensington Work, Moddershall Oaks Investment, Art of Siam and changing things with good news.
WHAT’S ON/THINGS TO DO ✅
Cobalt Chronicles at Spode Works 🎨 . OPEN NOW. This art installation by Jaz Simpson tells the stories of Stoke and Spode through hand-painted porcelain tiles and graffiti murals. Creating an inviting gateway into the fast developing Spode site that is now housing more creative businesses, the Potbank Hotel and The Quarter. This is beautiful, go and visit it.
Yoga and Breakfast at World of Wedgwood 🧘🏼♀️. MULTIPLE DATES. Yoga Teacher Helena Cornes leads the Yoga and Wedgwood provide the Tea, Coffee and Brunch, or you just do the Yoga. This isn’t a bad place to do Yoga at all and a wholesome start to your day.
Northern Soul Dance Workshop 💃🏽. 7TH JULY, KEELE UNI. World Dance Champ, Sally Molloy, is heading back to her hometown for this dance workshop in July. From the reception on Instagram, it could be a sellout, be quick.
Crepz Club Opening 👟 . MAY 11TH, 29 BRIDGE STREET, ST5 2RY. Curated fashion store with a wide range of designer brands opening in Newcastle. Good to see more young people building the future here, good luck lads.
LDK Wine Tasting 🍷 . 23RD MAY, PICCADILLY RIVIERA. Little Dumpling King keep serving up fresh events, so we keep spotlighting them.
Good News 🎉
Capital & Centric began their public consultation for major regeneration work in Newcastle-Under-Lyme 🧱. There will be three different developments including Midway Car Park, York Place and Ryecroft. (More to follow this week…)
Local businessman, Wayne Walker, plans big redevelopment of Price & Kensington Factory 🧱
The Lead distributes 10,000 copies of print newspaper in Stoke-on-Trent to offer fresh journalistic perspective 🗞
Moddershall Oaks announces big investment in fourteen new woodland pods to expand their already successful weddings, corporate and leisure offering 🍂
Transformational Stoke-on-Trent Station Gateway Revamp to Begin. Change is hard, expect disruption and yes the Wedgwood statue is moving a bit. Read the link to understand how the changes might affect you 🔨
LATER THIS WEEK: Good News Spotlight 🔦 Capital & Centric Introduce Plans for Newcastle-under-Lyme 🏢
More on the property developers plans for Newcastle-under-Lyme and how they are consulting the community.
Food Highlight - Art of Siam 🥘
By Zuzanna Pog
Nestled at the bottom of Merrial Street in Newcastle, you will find Art of Siam, a traditional Thai restaurant. Their hospitality and love for the food creates an atmosphere than can be felt the moment you pass through their grand double doors.
Stepping in you are transported to a cosy space, where lush wooden tables serve up the delicious hot food. Their version of a Pad Thai (self-confessed Pad Thai lover over here) is the best you can get in town. Whether it’s a special occasion, a casual lunch or a takeaway on a weekend, Art of Siam never lets me down. If anything I should eat there more often.
Top tip, when the restaurant is closed you can order ahead for a pick-up later in the day.
💻 Website
📱 Instagram
📍 Google Maps
PROPERTY 🏡
KNOT HAVING IT ❌
“You don’t improve anything by simply ignoring bad news” says Phil Rowley to me on Facebook. I’ve tentatively began sharing The Knot with Facebook communities in the hope of reaching more advocates to join this mission with us. I thought “here we go” and braced myself for a tirade of abuse from conflict hungry Facebook users. Instead Glenn Parkes the group admin responded with a wonderful comment that I could not have said better myself. I understand what Phil is getting at, I just don’t fully agree. I believe we are changing things with good news, already, because we are changing perceptions and building confidence and pride in the place. It’s good to know I’m not the only one who’s Knot Having It.
Is it just me or are things really turning for the better in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire? Am I in an echo chamber or is the bubble of positivity I am in getting bigger?
I believe it’s the latter. In the week where World Craft City judges examined all the best bits of our region, I felt even more momentum around me. This week’s theme of The Knot seems to be investment and development. Stoke, Longport and Newcastle-under-Lyme all starting or planning big regenerative work and people putting their time and money to work.
Yet, the buildings and hard hats don’t really do it for me, it’s important obviously. Yet it’s the culture, attitudes and people that are giving me feelings of optimism. I sense pride and confidence redeveloping. The expression of this in art gives me real hope and excitement for the future.
Cheers Knotters,
James Routledge
FRIENDS OF THE KNOT 👋🏼
Thank you to support from our friends.
I feel uplifted reading about all the positive things going on in Staffordshire,especially Stoke-on-Trent. Such a boost to morale