Arts Venues Get Major Funding Boost in Stoke
Plus Hanley Named Among Top 10 Pub Towns in the UK, fire safety improvements for Stoke's high rises and £100 million student village set to open at Uni of Staffordshire
Today, The Knot is brought to you by Hanley Economic Building Society, which offers mortgages, savings accounts including ISAs, insurance, and more
Good News 🎉
🎭 There’s been a significant financial boost for the local arts sector thanks to cash from Arts Council England. The New Vic has received £295,308 to secure its future, which will be spent on new digital sound, lighting and communications systems. The Dipping House at Claybody Theatre has also been awarded £150,000, which will fund new flooring, lighting, and flexible seating. It’s part of the Arts Everywhere Fund, which will invest up to £1.5 billion over this parliament to support more than 1,000 cultural venues, museums, libraries and heritage sites across England. B-Arts and Collab Training Academy CIC, meanwhile, have received £10,000 and £8,430 respectively from the Common Ground award, which is set to deliver more than £2 million to grassroots groups across England.
👨🍳THE KNOT’S PERSON OF THE WEEK – George Lowe 👨🍳
Lowe's on Carter Street in Uttoxeter is one of our fave restaurants in the county, so we were chuffed to see it’s been recognised as a Top 100 Brunch and Lunch spot in the UK for 2026 by OpenTable, putting it in the top 0.2 per cent of the platform’s eateries nationwide. The restaurant’s award-winning head chef and owner, George Lowe, recently scooped Unsung Hero awards at the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Tourism Awards, along with Gold for Team of the Year and Gold for New Tourism Business. In between cooking up portions of his renowned buttermilk chicken, the chef has also found time to launch a hospitality platform, More Kudos, which aims to help businesses capture real-time customer feedback.
💰 Hanley Economic Raises £2.3k for GLOW. Hanley Economic recently visited local charity GLOW, which supports young people and families impacted by unhealthy or abusive relationships, to present them with a cheque for £2,307, which was raised through its Charity Saver account, staff fundraising, and AGM voting donations. Through school workshops, mentoring and community programmes, GLOW creates safer spaces and provides early intervention, education and emotional support. During its visit, the GLOW team delivered a presentation showcasing the work they do and how these funds will help, particularly through the development of age-appropriate workbooks that help children understand emotions and build healthy relationships.
🚴 £100 million Student Village to Open at Uni of Staffs. The University of Staffordshire has opened bookings for its £100 million Student Village, which will provide approximately 1,000 rooms across a mix of new and refurbished accommodation. Set to open in September 2026, the Student Village will feature en-suite accommodation across cluster blocks and townhouses and will support a diverse student population, including undergraduates, postgraduates and returning students. At the centre of the development will be a Village Hub, a shared space for socialising, study and wellbeing and events; there’s more here.
🏙️ Fire Safety Improvements for Stoke’s High Rises. Seven high-rise blocks in Stoke-on-Trent have now been confirmed as eligible for the Homes England Cladding Safety Scheme (CSS). They are Pedley Court in Blurton, Robinson Court in Blurton, Arthur Cotton Court in Burslem, Port Vale Court in Burslem, Brookfield Court in Hanley, Boundary Court in Hanley, and Forest Court in Hanley. The money will be used to evaluate two recommended options - either installing a full sprinkler system or removing polycarbonate stairwell coverings. The council will then apply to the government for the full costs.
🍺 Hanley Named Among Top 10 Pub Towns in the UK. The Coachmakers Arms, which is renowned for its cosy lounge and snug, and the recently restored Golden Cup Inn both helped Hanley be named one of the UK’s best pub towns, according to a recent listing by The Telegraph by travel writer Will Hawkes. Other frequently recommended bars and pubs in the Hanley area included The Unicorn Inn, which has five hand-pulled traditional ales, BottleCraft and The Woodman.
🥨 A word from Helen, editor/writer at The Knot
As Europe’s first purpose-built theatre of its kind in the modern era, the New Vic stands as a pioneering example of Stoke-on-Trent’s cultural impact. Now, as it celebrates its 40th anniversary, the venue has secured nearly £300,000 in investment—funding that will enhance its technical capabilities and help future-proof the building for years to come.
But the New Vic offers far more than entertainment. Through its Open House Friendship Café, it has served more than 1,300 cups of tea while creating a space where people feel less alone. As one attendee shared: “My wife has Alzheimer’s and Open House is the only connection with new people that we have. It has a very positive effect on us.”
Its productions continue to resonate just as strongly. Set in a Stoke-on-Trent working men’s club and inspired by real residents of Hawes Street in Tunstall fighting to save their homes, Good Golly Miss Molly has been receiving rave reviews both locally and nationally (it’s on until 02/05). But there’s plenty more to look forward to, including Around the World in 80 Days (23/05-20/06), Ballet Cymru’s production of The Sleeping Beauty (08/06) and Romeo & Juliet (17/09-10/10). Which one takes your fancy?
Really Good News 🎉 Your favourite news from the last week
📚 Learn Something New: Many of you were keen to sign up for free and low-cost community courses with Staffordshire County Council, particularly this art course
🍺 Grab a Pint of Science: these chats about science in local pubs proved popular too… if you missed it first time round, there’s more info here
🎨 Get Creative this Bank Holiday: Free ents and activities at Bolton Gate Farm
Weekly Weather (Stoke-on-Trent): Looking sunny Wed, Thur & Sat 😀
Mon ⛅️ 12° (3°) Tue ⛅️ 12° (3°) Wed ☀️ 14° (4°) Thu ☀️ 15° (3°) Fri ☀️ 15° (3°)
Sat ☀️ 15° (4°) Sun ⛅️ 13° (4°).
Sunrise 20/04: 05.59 ☀️ Sunset 20/04: 20.16 🌅