Grandson of Moorcroft founder buys bust firm

Moorcroft Pottery, which stopped trading at the end of April after more than 100 years in business, has been returned to family ownership.

The company has been bought by Will Moorcroft, whose grandfather William Moorcroft built the factory on Sandbach Road in Cobridge in 1913, with support from London department store Liberty.

The firm had remained in the family until 2006 when Mr Moorcroft's father retired.

"It's nice to have the opportunity to bring it back into the family fold," Mr Moorcroft said. "I'm very proud to have been able to pick up the keys."

Mr Moorcroft said he would like to see "as many of the staff as we can bring back" but that he was unable to guarantee all 57 workers would be able to return.

"We'll do our best to make it work, and get everybody back who wants to come back doing what they do best, which is producing beautiful Moorcroft," he said.

He added that they were considering moving production away from the site in Burslem, moving the firm solely to the original factory on Sandbach Road.

The brand was popular with US presidents and British prime ministers, and has a following among collectors around the world.

After winning a number of prestigious international awards, Moorcroft was appointed as potter to Queen Mary in 1928.

The firm's royal patronage continued when the late Queen Elizabeth II added Moorcroft designs into the Royal Collection.

In March, bosses at the firm warned of redundancies, stating their energy costs had gone up by almost £250,000 over the past two years.

On 30 April they issued a statement that the company was to be liquidated.

Mr Moorcroft said issues such as energy costs and global markets did weigh heavily on his mind, and that refreshing the brand would take hard work.

"The faith in the product is there," he said, "we just have to ensure that we can get the collectors – new and old – to keep the faith."

He added that he felt it was a family firm, not only in terms of his personal connection, but also through that of the skilled pottery workers who were part of the company.

The company's local roots are also an integral part of its heritage, he said.

"It's made in Stoke-on-Trent, it's got the backstamp to show that, all the staff are local, it stays local and for the city it's fantastic news for it to be continuing."

He said his plan was to resume production, ensuring the brand and its products continued to be made along with the potential for new designs and new products.

"It's all handmade, it's an iconic brand that over time has reached every corner of the world," he said.

"I think to have such a product, to carry on its existence, is tremendous for everybody."

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