Stoke City Council Declares Heritage Emergency
Plus finalists announced for 2026 Tourism Awards, Fenton Maces go on display, new piece of public art for Longton and community group issues free air fryers to tackle poverty…
Good News 🎉
🥨 Save Our Buildings. Last week, Stoke-on-Trent became the first city in the UK to declare a heritage emergency, with the council stating that historic buildings and sites will require £325 million of investment to safeguard their future. “Our new prospectus is a clear call to government and the private sector: without urgent action, many of these treasures could be lost forever,” it says. Highlighting the success of sites at the Wedgwood Institute, which received a grant worth more than £300,000 to make the building weather-tight from Historic England, the council argues that, with the right investment, many more sites can be restored and reused for the next generation.
👩🎨 THE KNOT’S PERSON OF THE WEEK - Andie Dale 👩🎨
Artist Andie Dale will be hosting her first solo exhibition at U7 Arts and Culture Centre in Longton next month following a series of group exhibitions across the region. Through handwoven photographs of local landmarks and natural scenes, Woven Landscapes (04/02-04/04) explores the meeting place between photography, texture and place. She aims to reimagine familiar environments and reveals the stillness, light, and quiet beauty in the everyday. There’s an opening reception on 07/02 (7pm-9.30pm). It’s free, but you can reserve your spot here.
🏆 Finalists for 2026 Tourism Awards. More than 50 of the area’s best tourism, hospitality and leisure businesses will go head-to-head at the 2026 Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Tourism Awards this March. Many of the Gold winners will go on to represent the region at the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence in June 2026. So, who’s in the mix? Finalists include SIXTOWNS by Bros Distillery (Experience of the Year Distillery Tour and Tasting Experience); Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, Keele (International Tourism Award); CBeebies Land Hotel (Large Hotel of the Year); Desire Cocktail Bar (New Tourism Business of the Year) and Emma Bridgewater (Small Visitor Attraction of the Year).
🏺See the Fenton Maces! Two spectacular maces from our Centenary celebrations are now on display at Gladstone Pottery Museum. Last April, the council righted a 115-year wrong with the creation of the Fenton Mace, completing the city’s regalia for the first time. In December, we closed out our celebrations with the Centenary Mace, which was crafted from ultra-high temperature ceramic material typically used in aerospace engineering. Both maces were created by BA and MA students at the University of Staffordshire. They’re on display until 15/03, and admission is free with standard museum entry.
🍗 Free Air Fryers to Cut Food Poverty. In a bid to help people eat healthier food, community group Meir Matters is set to give out free air fryers to people in the city to help them save money, eat well, and reduce waste. It follows research by the University of Staffordshire that last month revealed the city was getting close to a humanitarian crisis, with food bank use on the increase.
🖼️ New Piece of Public Art for Longton. Anyone with a connection to the town is being called on to share their memories and experiences as part of a plan to develop a new artwork for the town: this could be photos, fave places or small details that make the town feel like home. Funded by a Design Out Crime budget allocation, anyone who wants to help shape its inspiration is invited to email them.
What are your favourite memories of Longton? Share them for consideration to be included in a new piece of art
🥨 A word from Helen, editor/writer at The Knot
Last week, Stoke-on-Trent City Council declared a heritage emergency, warning that action is needed now to prevent further loss of the city’s historic buildings. It has called for coordinated support from government, national partners, funders, and building owners to protect these sites and unlock their long-term potential.
The call to action was launched at Claybody Theatre‘s Dipping House at Spode, a heritage success story itself, with warehouses serving as artist studios and Capital&Centric set to overhaul the site further. Progress is being made elsewhere too. At the Wedgwood Institute, for instance, restoration work is currently underway on the building’s north-east corner as part of wider efforts to bring the historic site back into use. Over at the Grade II listed Tunstall Library and Baths, meanwhile, a plan has been put forward by Croft Architecture to convert the buildings into apartments, a spa pool, gym, dance studio, restaurant, and rooftop bar.
Which building, or buildings, would you like to see restored? And which projects are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments below.
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