Royal Stafford goes into administration with loss of more than 80 jobs

Royal Stafford has gone into administration with up to 83 jobs lost. News broke yesterday, Tuesday, that the Stoke-on-Trent pottery would be closing after an illustrious past, having been in business for 200 years.

Best known for its production of earthenware, Royal Stafford – which first manufactured product in 1845 – is a familiar name in the industry. Based in the Royal Overhouse Manufactory, one of the oldest pottery factories in Burslem, records indicate the site was in use in 1787 and operated by Thomas Wedgwood.

The company in its current guise has traded as a tabletop manufacturer since 2007, when its current owners bought the business and assets of Royal Stafford Tableware Limited.

In a statement to the Stoke Sentinel newspaper a Royal Stafford spokesman said: “The company has faced a dramatic reduction in orders in recent months and coupled with the increase in energy prices this has left it unable to afford to continue to trade. The closure of the factory has resulted in the redundancy of 83 employees, many of whom have worked for the company since 2007 and some who worked for Royal Stafford Tableware prior to that.
“The directors have pursued every avenue possible to save the business, but without the guarantee of a profitable forward order book, this was not possible. The directors have engaged the services of insolvency firm Moore Recovery to place the company into liquidation. Creditors of the company will be contacted by Moore Recovery in due course.
“A closing down sale is planned and further information regarding this will be provided when possible. Anyone who has orders to collect from the factory shop will also be contacted in due course.”

Britain will lose it’s vital ceramics and pottery industry without action, warns union
GMB Union, representing workers across the UK’s ceramics and potteries industry called on the government to act urgently to save the sector. The intervention comes after it was announced that Royal Stafford has collapsed into liquidation.

Colin Griffiths, GMB senior organiser, said: “This is a wake-up call for the new Government and its industrial strategy. Stoke cannot power its kilns with wind and batteries; wishful thinking means spiralling energy costs are now pushing the sector over the edge. Meanwhile the illegal importing of foreign forgeries is out of control and driving down orders even further. Our ceramic and pottery industry is vital for economic growth and supports thousands of jobs across the UK. The time for warm words is over, now we must see action”.

Tableware International

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