Steps taken to protect historic pottery site

Steps have been taken to stabilise and protect the site of a historic pottery factory after its owners had failed to address concerns.

The owners of the Falcon Works on Sturgess Street in Stoke, Stoke-on-Trent, had failed to repairs and maintenance to help prevent further deterioration of buildings on the site, the city council said.

"Our heritage is one of the things that makes this city unique," said councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker. "Once these buildings are lost, they are gone for good, which is why we're determined to act before more damage is done."

The authority said it would seek to recover its costs for the work. The BBC has attempted to contact the site owner.

The Falcon Works was established in 1858 and was later owned and expanded by the firm of W.H. Goss.

The surviving buildings, which include two Grade-II listed bottle ovens, date to Goss's time at the site and were considered an important part of Stoke-on-Trent's industrial heritage.

Pottery production at the Falcon Works stopped in 1944, and the site has been vacant for more than 35 years.

The buildings have deteriorated over a number of years and was damaged by a fire in 2022.

"People across Stoke-on-Trent are tired of seeing important historic buildings deteriorate," Gordon-McCusker said.

Falcon Works had been in poor condition for years, he added, and the owners had been given "ample opportunity" to help protect the site.

"We've made it clear that neglecting historic buildings is not acceptable," he added.

The authority said some parts of the former pottery factory may need to be dismantled if they posed safety concerns, but that works would carefully consider the impact on the wider structure and aimed to preserve as much as possible.

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