Burslem guidebook

  pic: Burslem town centre
A mere glance at the elegant Georgian and Victorian architecture in the centre of Burslem reveals its grand past.

In its heyday this was a town of substance, a town where no less than Josiah Wedgwood opened his first factory in the 1700s, and where the likes of Moorcroft, Doulton and Wade cut their teeth.

Known as 'the Mother Town' because it was the largest of the six Stoke-on-Trent towns for many years, Burslem was also the first to develop with the industrial revolution.

Burslem has been home to so many famous 'potbanks' over the years - Wood and Sons, Sadlers, Burleigh, Dudson, Churchill, Steelite, Moorland, Price and Kensington, and Royal Stafford have all been in residence here.
 
Today some of those companies continue to thrive, but much of the industry has been depleted, taking the prosperity of the town with it.

And yet, just as Burslem once led the Potteries into the industrial revolution, today it's leading the way in the economic regeneration of Stoke on Trent.

Burslem Renaissance

Burslem is enjoying a renaissance, and there's a real buzz about the town.

The long-term aim is to transform the town into a tourist destination for heritage and craft, and the changes are already clear everywhere you look.

Multi-millions are being pumped into restoring heritage properties, supporting arts projects, building new homes and, most of all, reminding people that Burslem can be a great place in which to live and work.

There are almost 40 Grade II-listed buildings in Burslem, and a walk around the town centre can encompass many of them; look out, in particular, for The Wedgwood Institute on Queen Street and St Joseph's Catholic Church on Hall Street.

And, as a happy consequence of the lack of investment that Burslem suffered for many years, there are no unsightly 60s and 70s developments blotting the townscape.

Here's a brief run through of what's on offer in the property market in Burslem:

Property in Burslem

  pic: Burslem town centre
According to the 2001 census just 11.8 per cent of all the properties in Burslem are detached, nearly 43 per cent are semi-detached, 37.5 per cent are terraced and less than eight per cent are flats.

A relatively large proportion, nearly 25 per cent, are socially rented, with more than 60 per cent owner-occupied.

Property prices in Burslem are currently quite a bit lower than the national average, however over the past few years price increases have exceeded the average growth.

Areas in and around Burslem

Town centre: Traditional Victorian and Edwardian terraced properties dominate the housing stock around the town centre. Many of these are deceptively spacious, and their condition varies greatly.

These properties tend to be most popular with people who work in the town, and with those who want to stay close to their roots. However, an increasing number of investors are now buying to take advantage of the area's potential.

Sadlers Park: This large new development of more than 400 homes has been created on the former Sadlers pottery. It is a mix of apartments, mews, townhouses, semi-detached and detached properties.

It is close to the town centre, off Greenhead Street, and its modern design led to many of the apartments being sold off plan to investors - a new concept in Burslem.

Expect to pay more for a one-bedroom apartment in Sadlers Park than you would for a two-bedroom house elsewhere in the town.

Hadderidge Gardens: This new development at Navigation Road includes apartments, town houses, three-storey homes and one- and two-bed properties with home study space.

Royal Staffordshire Tableware: This former pottery near to the Burslem bypass, west of the town, has been demolished and permission has been granted for apartments similar in design to those on Sadlers Park.

Middleport: Largely comprised of Victorian terraces, some in a poor condition, and the housing market here has been rather depressed. However, the long-term vision is to make Middleport the 'heritage suburb of Burslem' by making the most of historic buildings, the canal and the surrounding open space.

There are also plans to reconnect Middleport to Burslem by relocating industrial buildings in the Furlong Lane area and constructing housing there instead, and by improving the local environment.

Some investors have already opted to buy in Middleton in the hope of making a profit.

Cobridge: An area with a significant ethnic minority population, Cobridge is largely comprised of deceptively spacious terraced houses. The property market here has also been sluggish, but new builds are helping to attract interest.

Proposals are being discussed to build around 100 new homes on the old Simpsons Factory site in Waterloo Road.

Living here

Transport:

Trains: The nearest railway station, Stoke-on-Trent, offers mainline services.

Buses: Frequent bus links connect to other parts of the city.

Road: Burslem is well placed for the A500 and M6.

Air: Manchester, Birmingham International, East Midlands and Liverpool John Lennon airports are all within an hour's drive.

Shopping:

Burslem has a small selection of shops, and is good for bargain hunting. The choice and quality is likely to increase considerably with future regeneration and development.

As you would expect, this is a great place to shop for ceramics, including at the numerous factory shops.

There is an indoor market on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and an outdoor market on Fridays.

Eating and drinking:

Burslem has authentic, traditional pubs untouched by the hands of time.

You can drink in the pub where Robbie Williams grew up, The Red Lion, or in the historic Leopard Hotel which featured on the TV show Most Haunted.
 
Denry's Restaurant, in St Johns Square, attracts diners from across the city.

Sports:

Port Vale Football Club's Vale Park ground is in Hamil Road in Burslem.

Burslem Golf Club, in High Lane, has a nine-hole course.

Dimensions Leisure Centre, Scotia Road, has a fantasy-themed pool, a sports hall and outdoor synthetic football pitches.

Leisure and entertainment:

Queen's Theatre in Wedgwood Street is the oldest surviving theatre in Stoke-on-Trent.

Parks and open spaces:

Burslem Park, Moorland Road, is the largest registered Victorian park in the UK.  Facilities include a children's play area, sports court, tennis courts, bowling greens, picnic area and a lake.