Moorcroft a popular visiting place for boaters has closed.

A VERY POPULAR pottery for canal based visitors on the Trent & Mersey is the famous Moorcroft Pottery.

Made even more famous by its wares often auctioned on such as Flog it and such similar television programmes, Janet Friend reports.

But the world famous pottery is no more, having closed.

Announced yesterday

The directors of Moorcroft Pottery have announced yesterday (Wednesday) the firm has stopped trading after more than 100 years.

The business has now gone into voluntarily liquidation, with the insolvency business Moore Recovery to help with liquidating the company.

News of Moorcroft's collapse is the latest blow to the pottery industry in Stoke-on-Trent, a city known as The Potteries. it being recognised for its global influence with pottery—having been granted a World Craft City Status just last year.

But 2025 has proved to be a disastrous year for the city's pottery industry. Back in February, Royal Stafford, also based in Burslem, called in administrators, following the closure of Dudson in 2019 and Wade in Longton two years ago.

Moorcroft Pottery traces its roots back to 1897 and has been based at its current site in Burslem since 1913.

Royal potter

After winning a number of prestigious international awards, Moorcroft was appointed as Potter to HM The Queen in 1928. With the firm's royal patronage continued when the late Queen Elizabeth II added Moorcroft designs into the Royal Collection. And even popular with US presidents and British prime ministers, according to the firm. The closure has led to 57 jobs at Moorcroft being lost.

And no longer a stopping place for boaters (us included) to enjoy and likely buy a keepsake.