ANGELthe

AN UPDATE ON BURSLEM REGENERATION PROGRESS

ISSUE 10 Spring 2009

New piazza is a bold stroke onBurslem’scanvas Page nine

HUGH Edwards has retired as Chairmanof the Burslem Regeneration CompanyBoard – a position he has held since thecompany’s formation six years ago.

Hugh, who is Chairman of 112-year oldMoorcroft, has been a staunchcampaigner for the Mother Town,lobbying local and central governmentfor investment.

He said: “My interest in the futurewell-being of Burslem, its people, andits industries, is as keen as ever but Ihave decided with considerable sadnessthat it is time to hand over my role inthe Regeneration Company Chairman tosomeone younger. I shall, of course,continue to give my enthusiasticsupport to the company’s efforts topromote Burslem whenever I can.”

Mr Edward’s colleagues on theBurslem Regeneration Company havepaid tribute to his work.

Stoke-on-Trent North MP Joan Walley– Board Vice-Chairman – said:“WhenHugh arrived in Stoke-on-Trent to saveMoorcroft he showed his commitmentand dedication to keeping thetraditional skills of the pottery industryalive and he understood that ceramicswas deeply rooted into the city.

“This same commitment and drive hebrought to his leadership of theRegeneration Company and gaveeveryone a strong sense of direction inregenerating the town while keeping itsdistinctive heritage. Hugh has played akey role at a crucial time in helping tosafeguard Burslem’s future and thesolid foundation he has laid will be hislegacy.”

Board Director Ed Yorke, formerChairman of the Ceramica Trust, said:“Hugh has made an enormouscontribution to Burslem and he will begreatly missed. His heart is in Burslem,and he did a tremendous amount ofhard work behind the scenes as BoardChairman.

“He has achieved great success asChairman of Moorcroft and he used hisability and clout to get the newregeneration company recognised andget things done.”

Hugh Edwardsretires as BoardChairman

2 T H E A N G E L

FOUR new eye-catching bus sheltershave been installed in Burslem with awinning mix of contemporary urban

design and state-of-the-art bus timetabletechnology.

The shelters – two doubles in SwanSquare and Market Place and two singlesin Fountain Place and Wedgwood Street –are equipped with CCTV and LCD screenswhich give timetable displays on busarrivals. Made of aluminium and stainlesssteel, the structures – designed by an in-house team of city council landscapearchitects – are vandal-proof and easy toclean and will not rust.

“They are a unique design to improveBurslem’s townscape – there are noshelters like this anywhere in the UK,” saidDave Stubbs, Group Manager forHighways, Policies and Programmes for theNorth Staffordshire RegenerationPartnership.

“The display screens currently show thebus timetables but in early summer we willbe in a position to activate the real-timetechnology which involves tracking busesusing radio-waves – so the arrival timesgiven will always be spot on.”

In creating the design for the sheltersthe council team consulted NorthStaffordshire Urban Vision, an organisationwhich promotes high standards ofarchitecture and urban design. The cost ofdesigning, building and installing the

shelters was £147,000.Councillor Adrian Knapper, Portfolio

Holder for Regeneration and EconomicDevelopment, said: “The shelters are agreat visual addition to the town. The CCTVcameras and up-to-the-minute travel newswill encourage more people in Burslem touse public transport.”

There are plans to build similar busshelters over the next few years at keytransport locations around Stoke-on-Trentsuch as the city centre, town centres andStoke station.

Shopkeeper Muktar Ahmed and HelenRhodes, Project Support Officer for theBurslem Regeneration Company, look atthe shelter’s bus timetable display screen.

State-of-the-artbus shelters havedesign style

Thenew hi-techbus shelters

in SwanSquare.

T H E A N G E L 3

ANEW multi-million poundcentre to train hundredsof construction workers

has been opened in Burslem –and could provide a much-needed boost to traders in thetown.

The dedicated facility – basedat a former council depot inFederation Road, Burslem –opened its doors to the firsttrainees in February andnumbers are expected to swellto 600 by the middle of the year.

Funded using £5.3 millionfrom the Department for Workand Pensions Flexible RoutewayProject, the scheme will providefree training and support forlocal unemployed people.

Burslem RegenerationManager Julian Read said: “Thetraining centre has the potentialto bring hundreds of people intothe town during theirlunchbreaks which will generatenew business for shops andtake-away food outlets.”

Jason Miller, of Miller’sButchers in Queen Street, said:“It is good news for traders inthe town and hopefully it will

lead to new shops setting up.”Besides building trades

courses, the centre – a jointinitiative betweenStoke on Trent College, the citycouncil and housingmaintenance company KierStoke – will provide training forthe logistics industry includingLGV and fork lift truck driving.

Big demandThousands of trained

construction workers will beneeded for programmed buildingprojects in North Staffordshireworth hundreds of millions ofpounds. They include schemessuch as Hanley’s East/WestPrecinct, the University Quarter,new-build at the UniversityHospital of North Staffordshireand the flagship City Watersidehousing development.

Andy Greenhough, Stoke onTrent College’s Director ofEnterprise and EmployerEngagement, said: “There will bebig demand for skilledtradespeople to work on theseprojects and we are looking totrain around 600 people a year

at the new centre. By traininglocal people we are not onlycutting unemployment butretaining wealth in the areawhich in turn will boost the localeconomy.”

Mr Greenhough said althoughthe scheme is being launched ata former council depot the planis to demolish one of theexisting buildings to make wayfor a purpose-built facility.

Councillor Hazel Lyth,Stoke-on-Trent City CouncilPortfolio Holder for Culture andEnterprise, said: “Over the nextfew years North Staffordshire isundergoing majortransformations. Hundreds ofjobs will be created forconstruction workers as newhomes, businesses and facilitiesare built in the area.

“Projects like those atFederation Road mean thatresidents in Stoke-on-Trent willbe able to benefit from theregeneration by developing theskills needed to compete forlocal jobs and opportunitiesboth as employers andemployees.”

New training centre isboost for trade

A SECOND World Wartheme is being plannedfor this year’s BurslemArts and Crafts Festival –and promises to bring aparade of colourfulattractions and nostalgiato the Mother Town.

The trip down memorylane would includestallholders wearingperiod costume and link-in with local schools aspart of their curriculum.

Festival organisers aredue to give the idea thegreen light in the nextfew weeks as part of thethriving May festival thatdraws in hundreds ofvisitors from across thePotteries. It follows thesuccess of the Christmasfestival taking on aVictorian theme tohighlight the impressivearchitecture in Burslem,

Festival ArtisticDirector Julie Gould said:“We feel this themecould really help bringthe town together to getinvolved and giveBurslem a boost.”

Free workshops, stallsand street entertainerswill once again feature inthe festival which hasbeen pencilled in for theMay Bank Holidayweekend. Julie added:“We also want to getbusinesses involvedmuch more this year andreally come together as atown, as they did withthe Christmas Festival.

“We would like to saythe biggest thank you toall of Burslem’sbusinesses whogenerously donated suchfabulous prizes for thefree raffle at theChristmas Festivalespecially in this presentfinancial climate. It had ahuge impact on people’sperceptions of Burslemas a good hearted town."

Pictured outside the new Federation Road training centre as they prepare thebuilding for the launch of the project are, left to right, Tony Pointon, Stoke on

Trent College Logistics Programme Manager, George Carr, the college’s ProgrammeManager for Construction, Mike Kelly, Director of Transed Training, Val Bourne, city

council Resident Services Manager, and Roger Deaville, Director of Transed Training.

Festivalplan forWW2theme

4 T H E A N G E L

RESIDENTS have welcomed anew police post which ishelping to combat anti-socialbehaviour and crime inMiddleport.

Four officers are based at thefacility in the annexe at StPaul’s Church in Church Squareand hold weekly surgerieswhere the public can discusstheir concerns. The sessionshave been helping to tackleproblems like drug taking andunder age drinking in the areaas officers benefit from extrainformation from local people.

PC Andy Graham said: “Wehave definitely improvedresponse times. Theinformation being passed ontous means we are able to act a

lot quicker. We have also hadproblems with things likeyouths jumping on the roofs ofbungalows and drinking ongreenways. Because we are soclose we have been able torespond immediately.”

The visibility of the post hashad an effect on crime and thefear of crime in the surroundingarea according to police. Manyresidents are dropping in to thesurgeries at the post everyTuesday between 2pm and4pm.

Chairman of Scotia WestResidents Association, ChrisSmith, said: “The area isdefinitely benefiting fromimproved communicationbetween residents and officers

and is becoming a better placeto live. The PCSOs patrollingthe area are making peoplefeel safer. For example, someteenagers drinking in the areawere causing a problemverbally abusing passers by.But we reported it to the

neighbourhood officers and theproblem was quickly solved.”

Local officers PCs AndyGraham and Adam Syred andPCSOs Adam Van De Sande andTich Nyamayaro run thesurgeries and are regularlybased at the police post.

THE opportunity to see a range ofpotential options for the future ofMiddleport will be made possible this

Spring. Renew North Staffordshire hascommissioned a team to carry out a sixmonth feasibility study and consultationprocess which will then pave the way forfurther investment in the neighbourhood.

The options will be on show incommunity facilities and public spaces andpeople will be urged to express their viewsand give feedback. The opportunity toengage will be by taking part in locallyfocused workshops, drop-in sessions, theBurslem Local Forum and in writing.

The masterplan project is covering areasaround Newport Lane, Slater Street,Maddock Street and beyond.

It covers both residential and commercialsites such as the former Wood and SonsStanley Pottery on Newport Lane and willcome up with ideas on uses for sites in the

area that are currently available fordevelopment or may be available in

the future.Renew has already spentsignificant sums in the area

this year, with therefurbishment ofproperties in the EllgreaveStreet area, making themost of disused land witha newly improvedlandscaping scheme andmosaic installation and

highways improvementworks.BDP, the team appointed by

Renew last September to prepare themasterplan have already looked at housecondition information, transport informationand jobs and investment statistics ahead ofthe plans being developed.

Renew Development Manager HarmeshJassal said: “The plans will give the public aclear insight into what the partnership hasin mind. We want to encourage all people inthe area to view these proposals and havetheir say. Consultation and feedback isessential to moving forward to the nextphase of development.”

So, watch this space and make sure youmake the most of the opportunity to shapethe future.

Residents urged to have their say on latest vision for Middleport

PC Adam Syredoutside the newpolice post.

Plans for fresh waveof work to go on

public show

The fish mosaic which is afeature of a landscaping scheme

in the Ellgreave Street area.

New police post hasimmediate benefits

THE next phase of theongoing work todramatically improve

Burslem town centre will beunveiled at a business breakfastin the late spring.

The event will be the firstopportunity for members of thecommunity to view the detailedproposals aimed at revampingthe heart of the Mother Townand breathe new cultural andeconomic life into the area.

The consultation, which willbe hosted by the BurslemRegeneration Company, centreson three documents whichunfold the vision of aregenerated town centre thatwill once again be vibrant andprosperous.

One of the documents is anupdated version of the 2004Atkins Burslem Masterplan andUrban Design Action Plan –which set out far-reaching andambitious plans, includingproposals for improving towncentre landmarks such asCeramica, the indoor market,

Wedgwood Institute andQueen’s Theatre.

In view of subsequentchanges that have happened inthe area, such as the decline ofthe local economy, The NorthStaffordshire RegenerationPartnership and BurslemRegeneration Companycommissioned architecturaltown planners HypoStyle toreview the original Atkinsmasterplan and look at allaspects of regenerating thetown centre.

The other documents are theBurslem Regeneration CompanyBusiness and Delivery Planswhich look at the key issues ofimproving traffic flow andpedestrian access; attractingnew businesses and boosting

tourism; stimulating investmentin economic growth; developingpublic services such ashealthcare facilities, support forunemployed people andsporting and cultural activities.

The Business and DeliveryPlans highlight what hasalready been achieved in thedrive to revive Burslem – suchas new houses, heritage worksin the town centre andlive/work enterprise units – andsets out a timetable for futureprojects in the pipeline.

Julian Read, BurslemRegeneration Manager, said:“The original Atkins masterplanwas a solid piece of work whichhas been modified by thereview. Together with theBusiness and Delivery Plans, it

provides recommendations forshort, medium and long-termprojects that will help totransform the heart of theMother Town.”

He added: “The unveiling ofthe proposals will be an idealopportunity for everyoneinvolved – residents, traders,employers, community groupsand those interested in thetown’s cultural, sporting andhistorical heritage – to worktogether and have a real say inmaking Burslem a great place inwhich to live and work.”

● To register for the businessbreakfast or for moreinformation about the eventlocal businesses should contactthe Burslem RegenerationCompany on 01782 232522.

WORK is gathering pace on a prominent,prime town centre residential project – withthe first apartments due for completion inthe late spring. Roof and frame work, aswell as electrical installations are beingcarried out at the Furlong Passagedevelopment which will provide four, two-bedroom town houses and 25, one, two andthree-bedroom apartments.

The development, which has become a veryvisible indicator of Burslem’s regeneration, islocated conveniently between St Johns Squareand Woodgate Street. It will also featuresecure underground parking, lifts and a securecommunal garden. The site is being developedby Longton-based Talbot Developments who areon target to complete the project by thesummer.

Rob Talbot, of Talbot Developments, said:“The project is on schedule and everything ison target for a summer completion. The firstphase of one and two bedroomapartments will actually be availableby the late spring and we areexpecting to generate alot of interest as theywill appeal to youngprofessionals andolder peoplealike.”

Restyled masterplanto be unveiled

Work gathers pace onluxury flatscomplex

T H E A N G E L 5

6 T H E A N G E L T H E A N G E L 7

IN the style of a Greek templewith a stunning baroque clocktower, Burslem Town Hall hasbeen admired by generations asarchitecture of specialsignificance. Now the iconicVictorian building, opened in1854, has been officiallyrecognised as one of the top 10must-visit town halls in the UKby experts from a leadingarchitectural magazine.

The Mother Town’s “old townhall” – for, of course, Burslemhas the distinction of having twotown halls – has received theaccolade from Architecture Today,taking its place alongside themunicipal megastructures ofcivic palaces in Manchester andLeeds.

“We chose Burslem Town Hallbecause of the distinctive andidiosyncratic nature of itsarchitecture ,” said Chris Foges,Editor of Architecture Today. “It isa building of character and hashigh architectural quality – agreat landmark with its famousgolden angel on the clock tower.When local people see the townhall they know they are home.”

Mr Foges explained that, inmaking their selections, themagazine’s judges had

endeavoured to come up with ahistorical and geographic spreadof town halls they considered tobe well worth a visit from anarchitectural point of view .

Other buildings which madethe list range from Paisley TownHall and Dunfermline CityChambers in Scotland to HornseyTown Hall, London, and LyntonTown Hall in North Devon.

“Boslomites” may imaginethat the national architecturalrecognition would bring a serenesmile to the face of the goldenangel. Certainly it has delightedStoke-on-Trent North MP JoanWalley, a staunch campaigner forthe progression of all thingsBurslem.

“It is further proof of whatmany local people know that,architecturally speaking,Burslem is the nation’s best keptsecret,” said Joan. “It is a tributeto the town now and to thosewho had the vision to build sucha magnificent town hall.

“Unique buildings such as thetown hall and the WedgwoodInstitute are part of the newvision to regenerate the MotherTown and for Burslem to take itsrightful place as a vibrant part ofNorth Staffordshire.”

Town hall in top ten‘must visit’

Town hall in top ten‘must visit’

Restaurant named after The Cardextends in prime locationAN exciting new look for a

busy town centre“gateway” in Burslem is

on the menu – thanks to theexpansion of one of thebest-known restaurants inNorth Staffordshire.

It is one of several newprojects to benefit from theTownscape Heritage Initiative(THI) which has alreadypumped hundreds of thousandsof pounds into improving theoutside appearance of historiccommercial buildings in thetown.

THI funding is playing amajor role in enlarging theVictorian and Edwardian-themed Denry’s restaurant in St John’s Square by extendingthe business into the adjacentpremises of the former flowershop on the corner of MarketPlace and St John’s Square.

The eatery is named afterEdward Henry Machin, leadingcharacter in Arnold Bennett’snovel The Card inspired by theMother Town. Machin’s mothersaved time by addressing herson as Denry, instead ofEdward Henry.

In addition, therestaurant

extension will complement thegateway at the opposite end ofthe town centre that hasalready been dramaticallyimproved by the Swan SquareContinental-style piazza.

Denry’s owner Wayne Doylepurchased the adjoining emptyshop and he was awarded aTHI grant of up to £198,209towards its restoration. Workhas started on joining the twobuildings at ground level toform a single unit.

HistoricAll three floors of the

extended premises will be partof the restaurant and willinclude a new ground floorwine bar.

Wayne said: “What we aredoing is designed to attractmore people to Burslem andprovide a welcoming andattractive entrance to thetown centre.”

As interestcontinues togrow

in the THI Scheme, otherbusinesses are benefiting fromfacelifts that are improving theappearance of historicbuildings in the town.

Work is well underway on 33and 35 Queen Street, thepremises of Potteries InsuranceBrokers and Hairitagehairdressing saloon, on a jointscheme to replace the shopfrontages and windows, as wellas roof improvements andgeneral repairs. A joint grant ofup to £90,908 has beenawarded for the work.

Hassall Shoe Repairs at 4,Nile Street, have been granteda second phase of funding tobring forward work on theoutside of the building toreplace windows withtraditional sash windows andinstall new cast iron gutteringand drainpipes.

Works are now completed atthe Kismet Restaurant, QueenStreet, which receivedadditional grant funding fornew signage, while the firstphase of a project totransform a fire

damaged room at the UnitedReform Church, Moorland Road,into a community facility is nowcomplete. Work on the secondphase to repair the roof andreinstate cast iron railing to thefront of the building will bestarting soon.

In addition meetings aretaking place with the owner ofthe former Co-operativeBuilding in Swan Square tobring forward a suitablescheme for the property.

New interestHelen Rhodes, THI Project

Officer, said: “Even with thecurrent economic climate, takeup of the scheme is stillincreasing with new interestcoming forward daily.

“The scheme has gained alot of interest from new andcurrent building owners inBurslem town centre and thereare a few large restorationprojects in the pipeline, withplans drawn up that we shouldsee move forward in 2009.” Artistic cover-up

A TASTY PROJECT...chef and owner of Denry’s

Wayne Doyle, left, withbuilder Andrew Finneyoutside the site of therestaurant extension.

THE former Co-op Building on the corner of Swan Squareand Queen Street, with its classic art deco architecture, hastemporarily been adorned with blown up prints of artist RobPointon’s paintings.

The premises were boarded up at ground-level whileawaiting redevelopment and the art prints on plastic sheetswere put on the board to make the scene more aestheticallypleasing. Funded with money from the Townscape HeritageFund, the crafty cover-up was organisedby staff at the Burslem RegenerationCompany. A planningapplication for new usesfor the building isexpected soon.

SHORT CUT TO A NEW STYLE...Hairitage hairdressers owner Joanne

Dawson, left, with stylist Stephanie Corbishley whose salon frontage in Queen Street is getting a facelift.

CHEERS... Kismet restaurant owner

Kobir Uddin Ahmedpours members of staffa drink to celebrate thecompletion of the smart

new signage and frontto their building.

6 T H E A N G E L T H E A N G E L 7

IN the style of a Greek templewith a stunning baroque clocktower, Burslem Town Hall hasbeen admired by generations asarchitecture of specialsignificance. Now the iconicVictorian building, opened in1854, has been officiallyrecognised as one of the top 10must-visit town halls in the UKby experts from a leadingarchitectural magazine.

The Mother Town’s “old townhall” – for, of course, Burslemhas the distinction of having twotown halls – has received theaccolade from Architecture Today,taking its place alongside themunicipal megastructures ofcivic palaces in Manchester andLeeds.

“We chose Burslem Town Hallbecause of the distinctive andidiosyncratic nature of itsarchitecture ,” said Chris Foges,Editor of Architecture Today. “It isa building of character and hashigh architectural quality – agreat landmark with its famousgolden angel on the clock tower.When local people see the townhall they know they are home.”

Mr Foges explained that, inmaking their selections, themagazine’s judges had

endeavoured to come up with ahistorical and geographic spreadof town halls they considered tobe well worth a visit from anarchitectural point of view .

Other buildings which madethe list range from Paisley TownHall and Dunfermline CityChambers in Scotland to HornseyTown Hall, London, and LyntonTown Hall in North Devon.

“Boslomites” may imaginethat the national architecturalrecognition would bring a serenesmile to the face of the goldenangel. Certainly it has delightedStoke-on-Trent North MP JoanWalley, a staunch campaigner forthe progression of all thingsBurslem.

“It is further proof of whatmany local people know that,architecturally speaking,Burslem is the nation’s best keptsecret,” said Joan. “It is a tributeto the town now and to thosewho had the vision to build sucha magnificent town hall.

“Unique buildings such as thetown hall and the WedgwoodInstitute are part of the newvision to regenerate the MotherTown and for Burslem to take itsrightful place as a vibrant part ofNorth Staffordshire.”

Town hall in top ten‘must visit’

Town hall in top ten‘must visit’

Restaurant named after The Cardextends in prime locationAN exciting new look for a

busy town centre“gateway” in Burslem is

on the menu – thanks to theexpansion of one of thebest-known restaurants inNorth Staffordshire.

It is one of several newprojects to benefit from theTownscape Heritage Initiative(THI) which has alreadypumped hundreds of thousandsof pounds into improving theoutside appearance of historiccommercial buildings in thetown.

THI funding is playing amajor role in enlarging theVictorian and Edwardian-themed Denry’s restaurant in St John’s Square by extendingthe business into the adjacentpremises of the former flowershop on the corner of MarketPlace and St John’s Square.

The eatery is named afterEdward Henry Machin, leadingcharacter in Arnold Bennett’snovel The Card inspired by theMother Town. Machin’s mothersaved time by addressing herson as Denry, instead ofEdward Henry.

In addition, therestaurant

extension will complement thegateway at the opposite end ofthe town centre that hasalready been dramaticallyimproved by the Swan SquareContinental-style piazza.

Denry’s owner Wayne Doylepurchased the adjoining emptyshop and he was awarded aTHI grant of up to £198,209towards its restoration. Workhas started on joining the twobuildings at ground level toform a single unit.

HistoricAll three floors of the

extended premises will be partof the restaurant and willinclude a new ground floorwine bar.

Wayne said: “What we aredoing is designed to attractmore people to Burslem andprovide a welcoming andattractive entrance to thetown centre.”

As interestcontinues togrow

in the THI Scheme, otherbusinesses are benefiting fromfacelifts that are improving theappearance of historicbuildings in the town.

Work is well underway on 33and 35 Queen Street, thepremises of Potteries InsuranceBrokers and Hairitagehairdressing saloon, on a jointscheme to replace the shopfrontages and windows, as wellas roof improvements andgeneral repairs. A joint grant ofup to £90,908 has beenawarded for the work.

Hassall Shoe Repairs at 4,Nile Street, have been granteda second phase of funding tobring forward work on theoutside of the building toreplace windows withtraditional sash windows andinstall new cast iron gutteringand drainpipes.

Works are now completed atthe Kismet Restaurant, QueenStreet, which receivedadditional grant funding fornew signage, while the firstphase of a project totransform a fire

damaged room at the UnitedReform Church, Moorland Road,into a community facility is nowcomplete. Work on the secondphase to repair the roof andreinstate cast iron railing to thefront of the building will bestarting soon.

In addition meetings aretaking place with the owner ofthe former Co-operativeBuilding in Swan Square tobring forward a suitablescheme for the property.

New interestHelen Rhodes, THI Project

Officer, said: “Even with thecurrent economic climate, takeup of the scheme is stillincreasing with new interestcoming forward daily.

“The scheme has gained alot of interest from new andcurrent building owners inBurslem town centre and thereare a few large restorationprojects in the pipeline, withplans drawn up that we shouldsee move forward in 2009.” Artistic cover-up

A TASTY PROJECT...chef and owner of Denry’s

Wayne Doyle, left, withbuilder Andrew Finneyoutside the site of therestaurant extension.

THE former Co-op Building on the corner of Swan Squareand Queen Street, with its classic art deco architecture, hastemporarily been adorned with blown up prints of artist RobPointon’s paintings.

The premises were boarded up at ground-level whileawaiting redevelopment and the art prints on plastic sheetswere put on the board to make the scene more aestheticallypleasing. Funded with money from the Townscape HeritageFund, the crafty cover-up was organisedby staff at the Burslem RegenerationCompany. A planningapplication for new usesfor the building isexpected soon.

SHORT CUT TO A NEW STYLE...Hairitage hairdressers owner Joanne

Dawson, left, with stylist Stephanie Corbishley whose salon frontage in Queen Street is getting a facelift.

CHEERS... Kismet restaurant owner

Kobir Uddin Ahmedpours members of staffa drink to celebrate thecompletion of the smart

new signage and frontto their building.

8 T H E A N G E L

WALKING home fromwork through Burslemfirst triggered artist

Rob Pointon’s love affair withthe buildings of the MotherTown.

Rob had not long graduatedfrom the University of Waleswith a first class honoursdegree in fine art and had takena temporary job at a servicestation in Longport – whichgave him the reason to pace upNewcastle Street to delight inthe architectural gems of thetown centre.

Now, a little over three yearslater, Rob has captured thesights, scenes and architectureof Burslem on canvas in a verydistinctive style with more than50 oil paintings.

In fact, he himself hasbecome part of the townscapeas he frequently sets up hiseasel on the street and paintswhile being watched bypassers-by. Inevitably, Rob isbased in Burslem at the new

live/work units in Queen Street. “Although I grew up in North

Staffordshire I lived the otherside of the Potteries and did notknow Burslem,” said the 26-year-old. “After graduating Ispent time in London beforecoming back to Stoke-on-Trentwhere I shared a house inSmallthorne with my brother.

“It was walking back from myshifts at the petrol station that Idiscovered the magnificentbuildings in Burslem. I lookedforward to walking in the townto see iconic architecture likethe town hall and theWedgwood Institute. Theyinspired me to want to paintthem.”

Rob’s “wide-angledperspective” treatment of hissubjects has already beencritically-acclaimed and his workhas been exhibited at thePotteries Museum and ArtGallery as well as featuring inprivate collections in France andthe UK, including those ofPrince Charles and the Duchessof Devonshire.

“I like to capture the wholescene rather than a tightframing of a scene,” he said.“Setting up my easel on thestreet is important to me. I liketo soak up the atmosphere ofwhat I am drawing or painting.”

An exhibition of Rob’s workduring 2008 was held at theBurslem School of Art lastmonth. Called “A Hired Brush”,the extensive display includedmore than 50 oil paintings aswell as wall painting animationshe produced with his partnerKaren Sayle, a photographerand animator.

Rob’s growing reputation hashelped to ensure a busy start tothe year with a number of newprojects including a five-painting commission fromPotteries-born comedian and TV

personality Nick Hancock. One of the scenes Nick has

asked Rob to paint is thefrontage of McGarry’s hardwareshop at Middleport, a quaint,old-fashioned establishmentcomplete with a tin-bathhanging outside and home-made sale notices.

Almost from a bygone-age,McGarry’s is an eye-catchingsight which, given the RobPointon treatment, should makefor another special work of artwith a flavour of historicBurslem.

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Rob Pointon at work on thepainting of The Friends ofChatterley Whitfield.

Lights bringfestive cheerBURSLEM’S Christmaslights display was thebiggest for years – thanksto £6,500 in donations.The contributors wereBurslem Rotary Club,Co-operative Travel, SwanBank Methodist Mission,Burslem United ReformChurch, Jellifish, BurslemSchool of Art, MidlandsHeart, Stoke-on-Trent CityCouncil and BurslemSouth ward councillor.

“Next Christmas we arehoping to make the townfestive lights evenbetter,” said BurslemRegeneration ManagerJulian Read.

ARob Pointon

painting of theWedgwood Instituteduring Burslem Arts

& Crafts Festivalweek.

Picture courtesy of KS Photography.

T H E A N G E L 9

ANEW Italian-style public piazza in Burslemis set to attract investment into the town – as well as creating a vibrant focal point

for community activities.The £268,000 project has transformed Swan

Square from an “ugly duckling” site with closeddown subterranean toilets into stylishlandscaped open space incorporating “wowfactor” features.

Curved sandstone seating reflects thecontours of the terraces and multi-coloured setscut an eye-catching pathway through the piazzawhich makes for an ideal place to meet friends,pass time or stop for a sandwich.

The original iron railings that used tosurround the Victorian toilets have beenreclaimed to provide a “barrier feature”between the seating area and adjacent

Waterloo Road and Queen Street – and alsoretain a link with Burslem’s townscape heritage.

“It’s one of the projects which is helping torelight Burslem’s fire, “ said Councillor AdrianKnapper, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration andEconomic Development. “It is a fantasticimprovement and I believe it will bringinvestment to this part of the town.

“Swan Square is now an impressive entranceto Burslem and a stylish outdoor space withgreat potential for future use. It would be idealfor specialist markets and music events. I couldimagine an Italian restaurant and coffee houseoff the square with tables and chairs providingalfresco dining.

“The design fits in well with a town which hasmore than its fair share of iconic buildings andbeautiful architecture.”

TRIBUTES have been paid toChairman of MiddleportResident Association RosePeacock, pictured, followingher death after a short illness.

Rose, aged 60, was atireless campaigner for thepeople of Middleport and overmany years championedcommunity causes.

Former city councillor TedOwen – who for 20 yearsrepresented the ward whichincluded Middleport – said:“Rose was Mrs Middleport.She was a vital part of thecommunity and her passingwill leave a huge gap. Rosewas a people person and verypopular. She wanted the bestfor local people and a betterfuture for the children. Sheworked very hard for hercommunity and put in a greatdeal of time.”

Stoke-on-Trent North MPJoan Walley said: “Rose was atthe heart of Middleport andlived her life according to herbelief for the future of hercommunity. She will be dearlymissed and we owe it to Roseto continue the work toprogress Middleport.”

Maureen Brindley, a closefriend who was a formerresidents associationchairman, said: “I loved Rose.To serve Middleport was herpride and joy. She put herheart into everything she didfor the community. Rose wasgenuine and honest andMiddleport will be a muchsadder place without her.”

A widow, Rose leaves a son,Philip, and a daughter, Sarah.

HI-TECH equipment bought with a £2,500grant from the Britannia Building Society’scharitable foundation is helping bringBurslem History Society into the 21stcentury. A laptop, projector, big screen,radio microphone and public addresssystem have boosted the club’s meetings

which attract up to 70 people to thefunction room at the Leopard at 7.30pm onthe second Wednesday of every month.

History Club secretary Elaine Suttonsaid: “The equipment is extremelyversatile and will provide an enhancedexperience for the audience.”

Tributes toMiddleportcommunitychampion

Stylish piazza set to befocal point

History society looks to the future

Swan Square

illuminatedat night.

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THE Vale Park EnterpriseCentre – the UK’s firstbusiness start-up facility

to be based at a footballstadium – has been hailed amajor success. Since the centreon the first floor of the LorneStreet Stand opened nearly ayear ago 25 jobs have beencreated and all but three of the20 purpose-built office units areoccupied.

The complex, which is ownedand run by Port Vale FootballClub, was funded with the helpof a £240,000 grant from theWest Midlands developmentagency Advantage WestMidlands – an investment whichis already paying dividends forthe local Burslem economy.

Julian Read, RegenerationManager for Burslem, said: “Thesuccess of the Vale ParkEnterprise Centre shows thatnew start-up businesses can beattracted to the Burslem area ifthere are appropriate officeswith right business back-upfacilities. This centre is a quality

development which has alreadyjustified the AWM investmentand it will carry on making acontribution to the localeconomy year on year for manyyears to come.”

The centre – officially openedlast February by the Minister forBusiness and CompetitivenessBaroness Vadera – has unitsranging from 130 sq ft to 430sq ft. Support facilities fortenants include high-speedbroadband connection,integrated telephone system,secure access entry systemwith lifts, dedicated car parkingand 24/7 access.

Vale Chairman Bill Bratt said:“The enterprise centre isanother way the club iscementing itself at the heart ofthe community. We are helpingto create employment in an areawhich has suffered its fair share

of job losses. Some of thefledgling businesses which haverented offices in the centre havealready grown and moved oninto bigger premises.”

Community-based public

sector services are also basedat the centre – for example themental health charity Rethinkhas three offices from which itruns part of the local HealthyMinds Network. The project,which is funded by NHS Stokeon Trent, provides psychologicaltherapy for people experiencinganxiety and depression.

Maureen Speed, ServiceManager for the project, said:“The centre is ideal for ourneeds – we provide communityservices and Port Vale is a keypart of the local community.There is plenty of car parkingfor visitors and the businesssupport facilities are excellent.

“We have also beenimpressed with the footballclub’s willingness to go theextra mile to help us. Forexample, the club chairmangave a talk to some visitorsfrom Norway who came to seehow our project works.”

Vale’s innovativeenterprise centre

achievesits goal

HealthyMinds Project

Therapist CatherineD’Arcy-Saunders at the

Vale Park Enterprise Centrewhere Rethink have offices.

VALECommunity

inthe

BUSINESSES in Burslem are getting togetherat a major free event that will help themweather the recession and point them to newopportunities.

There has already been tremendous interestin “let’s do business support” being staged atThe George Hotel, Burslem on Wednesday,February 25 between 11.30am and 2pm.

It’s being organised by regeneration andbusiness support organisation The BusinessBrokers and the Bizfizz project that hasalready helped to set up 20 new businessesin the town in the last two years.

Those who attend will hear fromemployment law expert John Elkin, of Myers

solicitors in Burslem, and will have theopportunity to meet business supportagencies able to offer sound advice on awhole range of commercial issues.

Business people will be able to networkwith other businesses in the area at a speednetworking session. To attend book online atwww.businessbrokerproject.co.uk and followlinks to the “Events” page.

Carolyn Powell, Business Coach withhousing and regeneration group MidlandHeart and who is also helping to organise theevent, said: “It is a great opportunity toaccess free help and advice for businesspeople on how to survive and grow.”

Business networking boost

10 T H E A N G E L

T H E A N G E L 11

HISTORIC Burslem Park is a majorstep closer to receiving a Lotterycash injection of more than £2

million to restore the open space amenityto its former Victorian glory.

Campaigners and the city council are wellon the way to realising the “green dream”after successfully securing £142,000 fundingfrom the Heritage Lottery Fund and the BigLottery Fund’s Parks for People initiative.This money will be used to draw up detailedplans in which the local community will beencouraged to have a big say about thefuture of their park.

The funding will also be used to appointan Urban Park Ranger who will work closelywith community groups and the citycouncil’s Neighbourhood ManagementSection in attracting more visitors to theGrade II listed park – opened in 1894 andconsidered to be one of the best examplesof the work of landscape architect ThomasMawson.

Terrace gardensProposals which will form the second part

of the funding application will be submittedto the Heritage Lottery Fund in October,then it will take a further six months toassess if they qualify for a full Lottery grantof £2.2 million.

As well as providing full specification anddesign for the project, the bid will also haveto demonstrate how the park’s regenerationwill involve community volunteers inorganising attractions and events as well ashelping to run and manage the facility.

This means that if the second stage bid issuccessful, work on the park regenerationscheme would start in the summer of 2010at the earliest. Proposals will cover theoriginal pavilion and lodge buildings, aswell as the formal terrace gardens andornate terracotta detailing.

The proposed improvementsalso include shelters and

fountains, as well as the management ofvegetation to open up views through andfrom the park. Priority will be given toproviding easy access to the park foreveryone - including people with disabilitiesand visitors with pushchairs.

All this will complement the £900,000package of improvements already carriedout in the park through the citycouncil-backed Greening for GrowthProgramme, under which improvementswere carried out to paths, the lake, seatingand lighting. Activity facilities such as a playarea, sports courts, skate area and tenniscourts were updated, and a stunningfountain feature was installed in the lake.

One of the key elements of the currentfunding bid is an Audience DevelopmentPlan, in which the Burslem Park PartnershipGroup of local volunteers will play a leadingrole by working with local organisations,community groups and schools to developactivities and attractions that will make thepark an important part of many morepeople’s lives.

Councillor Debra Gratton, Portfolio Holderfor Sport and Leisure, said: “The aim is tocreate facilities and activities that willsignificantly increase the number of visitorsto the park and make it attractive andaccessible to everyone in thecommunity.

“A lot of hard work has

been carried out by the Burslem ParkPartnership Group and other volunteers togather information for the first stage of thebid about park visitors, and determining thekind of work needed to transform thefacility by seeking the views of local people.

“It is largely thanks to these communityefforts that in this bidding round Burslem isone of the nine parks in England, and onlyone of two in the Midlands, to haveprogressed to the second and final stage ofthe bidding process in the current round.”

MagnificentMike Watson, Chairman of the Burslem

Park Partnership Group, said: “The fact thatLottery funding has been secured so we canprogress to the second stage of the bid isvery exciting news.

“Burslem Park is the first in the city toreceive such a heritage grant and the wholeof Stoke-on-Trent should be delighted, notjust for what it means for this magnificentpark, but also for the doors it may unlockfor other city parks in the future.”

● Mike Watson is appealing for anyonewith old photographs of Burslem Park tocontact him on 01782 234030 or 07890966290 so the pictures can form part of aheritage centre in the park pavilion. Allpictures will be copied on to a disc so thatthe originals can be returned to the ownersif required.

Park plan is step closer tolottery fundinglottery fundinglottery fundinglottery fundinglottery fundinglottery fundinglottery fundinglottery fundinglottery fundinglottery fundinglottery funding

City councillor Debra Gratton, PortfolioHolder for Sport and Leisure, and MikeWatson, Chairman of the Burslem Park

Partnership Group, look at plans for theproposed second phase of the park’s

restoration. They are pictured outsidethe Victorian pavilion.

MANY visitors to Burslemcome to experience thevariety of its excellent

pubs. And whether its beer orfood that lures them, everyonegoes away with a little moreawareness of the Mother Town’sheritage – and that’s where Icome in.

My walks around Burslem’shistoric hostelries unlock doorsthat the general public wouldn’tordinarily pass through.Whether it’s descent into thecobwebby cellars and a climb tothe ghostly bedrooms of theLeopard, or a peep behind themedieval vaults of the Mitre, the socialhistory of the Mother Town is never morethan a few footsteps from a tavern bar.

Take Arnold Bennett’s

famous description of the erotic clog-danceof Florence Simcox performed for the men

of the Burslem Mutual Burial Club atthe Dragon – real name the George

Hotel. And tales of theTiger, Bennett’s fictionalname for the Leopard; thesame Leopard whereWedgwood dined withBrindley in 1765 todiscuss the progress ofthe canal. Josiah’s cousinEllen Wedgwood owned itthen before she openedanother pub across theroad calling it “my newinn” – a simple name

that’s stuck for over250 years.

The New Inn wasthe birthplace of a

distinguished Presidentof the Methodist

Conference, WilliamCooke, who was sickenedby the bull-baiting in StJohn’s Square outside atavern that aptly adoptedthe name Bulls Head fromsuch bestial scenes.

The New Inn has connections with theiconic Victorian Rudyard Kipling whosefather held art classes there in the 1860s,and whose students painted murals thatcan still be seen on the roof-space walls.

And while karaoke goes on at the QueensHead I bet few patrons know that a famoussinger/actress of the 1950’s once lived hereas a girl – Marjorie Westbury who playedthe enigmatic “Steve”, wife of popular radiodetective Paul Temple.

Of course, it’s impossible to ignore theRed Lion where Robbie Williams spent someof his childhood. But other stories thrive ofthe earlier mock-Tudor Red Lion built in the1600’s. The shooting dead of a chartistrioter on its front doorstep in 1842 is one.And so were tales of landlords cutting coalfrom a rich seam in the beer cellar thatultimately caused its demolition throughself-induced subsidence.

The first owners of the new Red Lion in1963 were husband and wife David andElizabeth Wolstenholme. David was thebrother of Kenneth, the man whose place inhistory is founded on the distinctiveexpression “they think it’s all over – it isnow!”

What stories! Pubs and history – you justnever know do you?

Local historian Fred Hughes has a special place in his heart for Burslem and he is a familiar figureabout town. His popular guided tours of the Mother Town’s historic pubs are legendary in his ownlunchtime. Here, Fred gives a taste of Burslem drinking heritage of which there is gallons and gallons...

Pubs are full tothe brim withhistorictales

Who knows?... even Josiah Wedgwoodmay have drank a bottle from the oldwine racks of the Leopard’s cellar. Fred is pictured by candlelightexploring the cellar and tunnels.

The Angel is produced on behalf of Burslem Regeneration Company by Smith Davis Press

Fred outside theLeopard’s

famousentrance.