More Than Six Towns
As more than ten areas across North Staffs compete for growth and visitors, the need for joined-up transport and infrastructure has never been clearer
It was with a sense of inevitability that I paid for my Trentham Gardens pass. Finally, I surrendered to the powerful life force that had been pulling me in for three years since I moved back.
My old life in London, upon receiving my Trentham Gardens pass, finally withered and died.
Trentham Gardens used to epitomise my frustration with this area. “It’s not even that good,” I’d lament. I’d complain about the food options and how you still can’t get a proper coffee. The way codwaddlers (or whatever it’s called) has cornered the post-Park Run coffee market breaks my heart. Pau, thankfully, is a better option now.
Perhaps it’s time, but it’s probably a stage of life too. Now, I’m evangelical about the Trentham Gardens “offer”. Great parking. Accessible paths. Beautiful nature and solid conservation efforts. Plus loads to do for the kids. I’ve changed.
Yet, when I was queuing in traffic on a Sunday morning to even get into Trentham Gardens, I realised something.
There are more than the six towns of Stoke-on-Trent competing for your footfall. Trentham Gardens, possibly the most popular in attracting an affluent audience, is almost like a town in itself.
I’d argue there are as many as 10+ “towns” in North Staffordshire that all want you as a visitor. And that the people of North Staffordshire are no longer loyal to one town (and haven’t been for a while), they spend their life pottering from one town to the next – living out a fragmented North Staffordshire existence driving (probably) from place to place.
I know all about the “Six Towns”. Don’t we all? They’re plastered over mugs and tea towels. But let’s be realistic. It’s 2026, and you live in Stoke-on-Trent or within a 20-30 minute driving radius of it - there are a lot more than six towns that you engage with. There are a lot more than six towns that want you as a visitor/customer. The Six Towns, I believe, are now a mere technicality of the City of Stoke-on-Trent.
Trentham Gardens is virtually a town itself, albeit a bit like that one that Shrek and Donkey visit in the first Shrek. Its footfall seven days a week makes it equivalent to a town. And, most importantly for other high streets and those thinking about regeneration – it almost certainly mops up the affluent footfall in the area and takes that away from other towns nearby.
So, let’s agree Trentham Gardens is the equivalent of another town vying for your footfall, wallet, and attention. Let’s agree on some others that might pull you in on a weekend if you live in the Stoke/North Staffs area.
Wolstanton Retail Park. You think I’m joking? I’m serious. Have you been to this place on a weekend? It’s absolutely rammed. That M&S alone probably has as much footfall as the Potteries Centre. Again, easy to get to, easy to park, and if you want to drive to another retail park (Festival Park) you can do so in five minutes. These retail parks are no joke; what they lack in soul, they make up for in ease. As much as you might want to shop “local”, most people in this area will visit them regularly and find themselves parking up easily for free, outside one of them.
Stone. I live here and see it with my own eyes. On a Friday and Saturday night, droves of people get off the train from Stoke or park in the car parks and come into Stone for a drink. Named Best Pub in the UK 2025 at the Great British Pub Awards, the Crown Wharf, to my mind, is the only new “night out venue” built in this area for 15-20 years, and guess what? It does really well and is always busy. It’s no mistake that one of the few purpose-built, brand new and high-quality venues is actually really popular.
Newcastle. Obviously. I’d call it the seventh town of Stoke-on-Trent personally but loyalists will hunt me down and kill me. If you can give me one difference between a town like Newcastle and a town like Hanley that is relevant in 2026, please comment below.
That makes 10 towns (including the traditional Six Towns) in a 30-minute driving radius of Stoke-on-Trent all marketing to the exact same audience: Stoke, Burslem, Tunstall, Hanley, Fenton, Longton, Newcastle, Trentham Gardens, Stone, Wolstanton, and Festival Park Retail Park.
And this is just towns in a central-ish radius. Let’s not forget Leek and Uttoxeter, plus countryside spots like Alton, Denstone, and Barlaston.
Our region is a fragmented conurbation. North Staffordshire’s economic and cultural centre itself, Stoke-on-Trent, is comprised of six “centres” and, if you buy into my thinking, more like 10. This sprawling, confused nature of our geography probably has something to do with countless failed regeneration plans.
Our region seems to constantly bemoan that it’s not like other cities. We belittle ourselves against “proper” cities. The entire centenary year felt to me like a sort of desperate claim to be seen and recognised as a real city (even after 100 years).
Yet what if the weakness of this fragmentation and divide is actually reframed as an opportunity. Isn’t it brilliant that we have so many different options that span city, town and countryside all in a short radius? Isn’t it great that one weekend you can go to the theatre and see Russell Howard and then the next day be in the countryside walking your dog?
What if, rather than invest millions in random new buildings, we made proper investment in our roads and public transport to make travel across our region seamless? What if getting from town to town was easy? What if you could cycle and walk easily? In my opinion, it’d be better to spend money on the infrastructure between towns than to spend money on the towns themselves.
We’d all do better to accept what this place is rather than resist what it isn’t. Politicians and council leaders would also do well to stop trying to turn Stoke into Manchester or Sheffield and instead see Stoke and North Staffordshire as the eclectic conglomerate of towns and countryside that it truly is.
Perhaps this acceptance of who and what this place really is would be the real beginnings of change and proper planning that draws on the strengths of our geography, instead of trying to mould our region into something it’s not. Stop trying to turn Stoke and Hanley into a Manchester Piccadilly meets Northern Quarter-like metropolis. Let’s celebrate what North Staffordshire actually is; from here, we might make some decisions that will change it for the better, rather than plonking shiny buildings into whichever town is currently shouting the loudest.
This acceptance of the reality of how the people in North Staffordshire spend their time and money, and what geography they travel in, is the overwhelming reason I believe that when our local councils are reorganised, the only sensible decision is for a North Staffordshire Unitary Authority that brings together Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire Moorlands, and Stoke-on-Trent (at the very least).
I’m not doubting Stoke-on-Trent’s city status, nor am I claiming we should “give up” trying to be a bigger or better city. But what if our superpower is that we are not a city, like other cities? What if that’s our strength, not our downfall?
I cannot see one similarity with Newcastle-under-Lyme and Hanley in 2026. The condition that Hanley is in (with so many empty buildings in disrepair) makes me want to weep. Stoke Council are talking about a heritage emergency. People have been saying that for years. Some just don't miss it until it's gone. The Victoria Hall and Reagent Theatre are wonderful though and draw many people to the town from far and wide.
You talk about a North Staffordshire Council being the best option because of the way people travel, shop, and work. People travel even further afield ( Manchester, Chester Birmingham, Walsall) and to other neighbouring towns for work and to shop etc. Should we be joined with Stafford, Alsager, Crewe, Nantwich, Sandbach and Congleton then? Crewe has similar problems to Hanley I would say.
I personally would prefer to keep the Council districts the way they are. Bus services need to improve to connect villages to towns for work, socialising and to access necessary services. The Bus service has dramatically declined over the years due to the increase in cars. Bus services stop very early in the evening too. This affects work and social opportunities. The car is king so without major government subsidies bus services won't improve as many routes would not be profitable for bus companies to run.
Really enjoyed reading your article- it gave me time to ponder on the fact that I really enjoy living in Fulford- which is literally 10 mins from Stoke by car I was born in Hanley and moved to a lovely council house in Bentlee, when I was 5- so still consider myself a ‘Stokie’ plus my postal address is Stoke on Trent. I love how the Knot promotes the area so positively but is grounded enough to be honest about its failings. Fulford is a lovely village but so close to Meir (lots of local shops and Tesco) Longton, Trentham gardens. I feel lucky that we have so many theatres (New Vic, The Regent, Victoria Hall) which have some great shows. I love the Artisan Tap in Newcastle- a very friendly and intimate music venue. I visit Stoke minster (a great music venue) as is the church in Biddulph where live music is staged. I love Middleport and the Quarter for their history and their friendliness. So we do have these ‘spread out’ towns but I quite like it- it makes us special and unique. I am lucky as I own a car so can get to most places easily so agree that public transport should be improved also parking can be expensive in Stoke on Trent (as you say one of the big advantages of Trentham and Wollaston is the ease of parking and it’s free.) We are so lucky in this area as that within minutes (by car/bus) we can be in the countryside- you can’t say the same about a lot of the big cities.