Super news! One of the main settings for my novel The Spyders of Burslem, The Wedgwood Institute in Burslem, is to be brought back to life….

“Burslem’s historic Wedgwood Institute has been identified by the Prince [Prince Charles] for his latest Potteries regeneration project.”

It was last used as the Burslem public library, but that was closed by the City Council (Labour) and the building mothballed. A few years ago I was told that the roof needs a lot of attention, but if anyone can pull off a restoration it’s the Prince’s Trust.

A creative industries use would fit nicely with the School of Art etc nearby. It would be nice to see it as home to a mix of craft ceramics makers and digital 3D modelling and 3D printing startups, based around project work where craft makers and digital technologists worked together on projects — something which might also chime with the City Deal’s aims of working with innovative new materials in Ceramic Valley.