Iconic kitchenware chain goes bust ‘with immediate effect’ after 200 YEARS & launches huge closing down sale
AN iconic kitchenware chain has gone bust with "immediate effect" - after being in business for a staggering 200 years.
Royal Stafford - a British manufacturing staple since 1845 - is closing down, resulting in 83 workers being made redundant.
The Stoke-based firm said financial issues had forced them to shut down
A Royal Stafford spokesman said: "It is with great sadness that the directors announce the closure of RST Limited, which trades as Royal Stafford, with immediate effect."
The company has faced a dramatic reduction in orders in recent months and coupled with the increase in energy prices this has left it unable to afford to continue to trade.
The company has traded as a manufacturer and retailer of tableware from its Burslem factory since 2007, when its current owners bought the business and assets of Royal Stafford Tableware Limited.
Whisky,business,kitchenware
"The Royal Stafford brand was established in 1845, and the company was one of the few remaining traditional pottery manufacturers in North Staffordshire.
The closure of the factory has resulted in the redundancy of 83 employees, many of whom have worked for the company since 2007 and some who worked for Royal Stafford Tableware prior to that."
Over the years, the company evolved, shifting from bone China production to high-fired earthenware.
It even survived multiple changes in ownership and expansion.
Most read in Money
Union leader Colin Griffiths expressed deep concern, calling the event "a wake-up call" for the government and its industrial strategy.
He warned that without intervention, Britain's ceramics industry faces extinction.
"Stoke cannot power its kilns with wind and batteries.
"Energy costs are pushing the sector over the edge, while illegal imports are driving down the orders.
"Our ceramic and pottery industry is vital for economic growth and supports thousands of jobs across the UK.
"The time for warm words is over; now we must see action," he said.
The council’s leader, Jane Ashworth, plans to contact the owners of Royal Stafford to request an urgent meeting, officials said.
"We know that national factors including high energy bills have made things more difficult for local employers but we are committed to improving our economy," they said.
"This includes major plans for Burslem, involving the regeneration of the town as part of a multi-million pound city-wide package of public realm improvements."
The closure has triggered concerns among local officials, with Burslem’s city council offering support to affected workers.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
The council has committed to providing job-search assistance and career guidance, while also pledging efforts to revitalise the local economy through regeneration projects in the town.
The company’s final days have been marked by a closing-down sale, offering its remaining stock to the public.
Brief timeline of Royal Stafford:
- 1845: Royal Stafford was founded by Thomas Poole in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent.
- 1869: The company rebuilt its factory, the Royal Overhouse Manufactory, with advanced machinery and steam power.
- 1992: Production of bone China ceased, and the company merged with Barratts of Staffordshire to form Royal Stafford.
- 2007: The brand was acquired by new owners and continued operations under the name Royal Stafford Tableware.
- 2025: After nearly 200 years in business, the company went into liquidation, citing falling orders and rising energy costs.
