Tuesday 16th October – The Five Towns

Last year I visited Stoke and discovered that it is five towns united by the name Stoke-on-Trent. Last year I struggled to find any of them. There were fast new roads surrounding the towns and I spent most of my time driving along these roads and missing the signs for the city centre. This time I do better. I find Hanley and the Potteries Shopping Centre. Again this is where the people are. Parking is easy, the familiar shops are there, there are places to eat and drink. The shopping centre opens onto the high street and so there is no separation between the two. But there are few familiar brands on the main street – M&S, Waterstones, Greggs and the banks. Otherwise it’s the value brands – Card Factory, B&M, Perfect Home (which along with Bright House) has reintroduced the idea of leasing furniture and durables. As in so many towns and cities, the councils are aware of the dangers of letting high streets look tatty and they are investing in smartening up the streets but without the jobs and money it will be an uphill struggle. From the vantage viewpoint of the fifth floor of the car park I can see hills in the distance and rows of housing marching in ranks up the hills. There are still a few of the kilns left and the new white sheds of ‘retail parks’ stand out like scars against the older bricks. I am heading north and stop in Burslem, one of the five towns. Burslem has some rather grand Georgian buildings but the town itself looks more battered. The familiar shops are all in the Potteries Shopping Centre in Hanley. Burslem was where Wedgwood set up his original Ivy Works and the Leopard pub is where he met with James Brindley to discuss building the Trent Mersey Canal. It has an extraordinary past, but its present is looking more challenging. The signs of regeneration were there – there was a modern building called Ceramica – now derelict and no signs of what it once was – a gallery? Exhibition space? Public information? Now, there are a few flyposters and no clues about its original vision (and hope). There were signs giving directions for artist’s open studios. Perhaps Burslem will be regenerated as low rents make it possible for artists and makers to afford to work there. A bit further north is Tunstall, another of the original five towns. It seemed bigger than Burslem (but I may have parked closer to the centre) but to be struggling. The high street had very few familiar names, even the banks are closing and the ATMs are boarded up. There were a few estate agents and there are houses on sale for £35,000 (in need of modernisation). There was a sign selling the local paper with a headline saying ‘homeless hungry stealing ducks and geese’. There are plenty of people out and about and the mood seemed cheery enough but almost half of the shops are empty. Here there are no posters on the window talking of ‘exciting opportunities’.