A New Chapter for Cornishware

The world of British pottery is built on craftsmanship, tradition, and community. That’s why we wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the recent closure of Royal Stafford on 3rd February - a company with a proud history in Stoke-on-Trent. The loss of jobs and disruption to people’s lives has been deeply felt, and our thoughts are with everyone affected. However, today we also want to share some hopeful news. We’re pleased to announce that Cornishware has acquired all the machinery previously owned by Royal Stafford, ensuring that these valuable tools of the trade continue to be used for British pottery. More importantly, we are delighted to welcome 16 former Royal Stafford employees to the Cornishware team, where they will continue their craft from Monday 10th March. For many years, Royal Stafford played an integral role in producing our biscuit ware - the first stage of forming our pieces before they are decorated, fettled, glazed, and glost fired here in the West Country. In recent years, we have gradually increased our own biscuit ware production with the opening of our slip-casting unit in the West Country, and this latest development will allow us to bring even more of our manufacturing in-house.

Going forward, we will continue to manufacture biscuit ware in Stoke-on-Trent at the current Royal Stafford site. However, due to the age and condition of the building, we will in time relocate to a newer, more suitable site in the Stoke area. Keeping a base in Stoke allows us to remain close to our key suppliers, maintain better control over quality and logistics, and tap into the wealth of expertise that the Potteries are renowned for. With this transition, we anticipate a significant improvement in stock availability over the coming weeks and months. Finally, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our customers for your continued support and to warmly welcome our new team members in Stoke. We’re excited about this new chapter and remain as committed as ever to keeping British pottery alive and thriving. With best wishes, Charles, Rebecca & The Stripey Team