Stoke-on-Trent
Wedgwood founded 1759, 'World Capital of Ceramics.' Peak 70,000 jobs; now ~5,000. Energy costs (28p/kWh vs 8p in Spain) forcing closures. Three historic potteries closed in 2025 alone.
Stoke-on-Trent exists because clay and coal lie beneath the same hills. The pottery industry that made 'The Potteries' famous began with Josiah Wedgwood, born in Burslem in 1730. He didn't just make ceramics—he invented modern manufacturing: division of labor, standardized production, marketing to the masses. His jasperware became the first globally recognized consumer brand.
By the late 19th century, Stoke's kilns fired day and night. At peak production in the 1940s, 70,000 people worked in ceramics—an entire city organized around transforming earth into tableware. The bottle kilns that dotted the skyline became symbols of industrial Britain. By the 1970s, 200 factories still operated; today, around 30 remain.
The decline has been brutal. Energy costs crippled an industry that runs on gas-fired kilns: UK manufacturers pay 28 pence per kilowatt-hour versus 8 pence in Spain. In 2025 alone, three historic potteries—Heraldic, Royal Staffordshire, and Moorcroft—closed their doors. Wedgwood itself paused production for 90 days, laying off 70 workers as inventory exceeded demand.
Yet the title 'World Capital of Ceramics' persists. Emma Bridgewater employs 200 hand-decorating mugs in Hanley. Moorcroft was rescued from bankruptcy by the founder's grandson within six weeks. The skills remain—what's missing is competitive energy pricing.
By 2026, Stoke will test whether heritage can survive economics. The city that invented mass-produced beauty now competes against countries where the cost of transformation is a third of what it costs here.