From an international ceramics festival and hot music events to cultural hubs like Spode Works and Middleport Pottery, creativity can drive Stoke’s Renaissance
A good article and I agree with much of it. However, success is really dependent on leadership and aspiration. In the 80' and 90's, Manchester had very good governance and a plan. The plan consisted, mainly, of creating new city areas - Airport City, Sports City and Media City, along with the transformation of the city centre itself.All long term aspirations, and now all very successful. Stoke on the other hand, had old Labour councils which had no plan and their only aspirations were to ensure Labour continuation. It should be noted that as PM, Blair never visited Stoke, thinking there was no point. I will never forget the comment from the hapless Liz Jeffries, Stoke's tourism head. She said in 1988 "Manchester is full now and their success will start trickling down to Stoke ".That was the attitude, "We don't need to do anything ". I fear that nothing has changed. Stoke's leadership is abysmal. The is no ambition or aspiration. The city's education establishments are very poor and any young people with ambition are well advised to leave this dreadful place asap.
I agree with much of this article, and it's focus on how creativity may be able to save Stoke from further decay. However, what Manchester had for its recovery was a strong focus on education, with a good choice of Grammar, private, and top-performing schools within its commuter belt. In stark comparison, Stoke's abysmal local government, over decades, has failed to get a grip on education and still tops the leagues of shame for outcomes and attendance. The city now has no Grammar school or private school, and only one consistently 'outstanding' rated state high school, which is massively over-subscribed. Aspiration and ambition are key attributes for recovery, and although 'built by necessity alone' schools will often do the best with the cards they are dealt, i strongly feel they are not the solution for the giant leap Stoke needs to take. Education of all kinds need urgent and sustained attention in this city, as the current poorly educated demographic cannot either adequately support existing residents, jobs, and investment, nor attract much-needed new families able to drive the city forward, as happened in Manchester.
I think you may have taken my comment too literally, in terms of what I am saying about Stoke. Having served as a high school governor in the past for many years I do feel I understand the value of education and it's delivery. My point is not wholly about the type of school but rather the lack of aspiration and ambition which has been prevalent in Stoke for decades. I agree that not everyone is academic, and will have other skills, but the starting point for every child should be an excellent all-round education which supports these skills. To have only one consistently outstanding high school in a city this size is atrocious, especially when unauthorised absence in Stoke is one of the very worst nationally. I feel that we have to aim for the stars if wanting to reach the moon, and that's what Manchester did when it ensured the provision of a range of aspirational schools which attracted those elusive 'young professionals' and their families. You can't make a silk purse from a sows ear and there are now proportionately too many people in the city attached to the sows, so new blood is needed to raise the game. Education, infrastructure, environment, planning, leadership, have all been poor for too long locally and there is not much sign of this improving presently.
Nice article Jenna. Thanks for sharing some of the talking points of the Teapot Tours. The big advantage of a polycentric city is that each town has its own identity which naturally lends itself to zoned focus. We have unique industrial architecture here in Stoke which is crying out for repurposing and regeneration. We are never going to bring back large scale pottery manufacturing but we can look to the future and focus on new emerging creative industries like game design and renewable energy.
A good article and I agree with much of it. However, success is really dependent on leadership and aspiration. In the 80' and 90's, Manchester had very good governance and a plan. The plan consisted, mainly, of creating new city areas - Airport City, Sports City and Media City, along with the transformation of the city centre itself.All long term aspirations, and now all very successful. Stoke on the other hand, had old Labour councils which had no plan and their only aspirations were to ensure Labour continuation. It should be noted that as PM, Blair never visited Stoke, thinking there was no point. I will never forget the comment from the hapless Liz Jeffries, Stoke's tourism head. She said in 1988 "Manchester is full now and their success will start trickling down to Stoke ".That was the attitude, "We don't need to do anything ". I fear that nothing has changed. Stoke's leadership is abysmal. The is no ambition or aspiration. The city's education establishments are very poor and any young people with ambition are well advised to leave this dreadful place asap.
I agree with much of this article, and it's focus on how creativity may be able to save Stoke from further decay. However, what Manchester had for its recovery was a strong focus on education, with a good choice of Grammar, private, and top-performing schools within its commuter belt. In stark comparison, Stoke's abysmal local government, over decades, has failed to get a grip on education and still tops the leagues of shame for outcomes and attendance. The city now has no Grammar school or private school, and only one consistently 'outstanding' rated state high school, which is massively over-subscribed. Aspiration and ambition are key attributes for recovery, and although 'built by necessity alone' schools will often do the best with the cards they are dealt, i strongly feel they are not the solution for the giant leap Stoke needs to take. Education of all kinds need urgent and sustained attention in this city, as the current poorly educated demographic cannot either adequately support existing residents, jobs, and investment, nor attract much-needed new families able to drive the city forward, as happened in Manchester.
I think you may have taken my comment too literally, in terms of what I am saying about Stoke. Having served as a high school governor in the past for many years I do feel I understand the value of education and it's delivery. My point is not wholly about the type of school but rather the lack of aspiration and ambition which has been prevalent in Stoke for decades. I agree that not everyone is academic, and will have other skills, but the starting point for every child should be an excellent all-round education which supports these skills. To have only one consistently outstanding high school in a city this size is atrocious, especially when unauthorised absence in Stoke is one of the very worst nationally. I feel that we have to aim for the stars if wanting to reach the moon, and that's what Manchester did when it ensured the provision of a range of aspirational schools which attracted those elusive 'young professionals' and their families. You can't make a silk purse from a sows ear and there are now proportionately too many people in the city attached to the sows, so new blood is needed to raise the game. Education, infrastructure, environment, planning, leadership, have all been poor for too long locally and there is not much sign of this improving presently.
Nice article Jenna. Thanks for sharing some of the talking points of the Teapot Tours. The big advantage of a polycentric city is that each town has its own identity which naturally lends itself to zoned focus. We have unique industrial architecture here in Stoke which is crying out for repurposing and regeneration. We are never going to bring back large scale pottery manufacturing but we can look to the future and focus on new emerging creative industries like game design and renewable energy.
Great article- all council members should read that