Another one bites the dust

A new month almost a year on from the General Election, four month near enough from the arrival of one Donald J. Trump in the White House and we return to more current affairs.

We are in Staffordshire, specifically Greater Stoke on Trent an area radically changed in a half century into a if not the world centre of Pottery production with a massive legacy in that regard beyond Coal mining and Iron and Steel production which we had a good deal of.

Changing dining habits, the increased use of dishwasher leading to less specialized crockery being bought, competition from much cheaper labour countries, wholesale "dumping" at below cost foreign production and monsterous hikes in energy prices which firing wares in the kiln has seen decimation over recent years.

Late Wednesday it was announced the famous Moorcroft pottery with a very long history is set to close as the impact of energy costs and, yes, the impact of Tariffs on U.S. sales, a major sales area for speciality ware which they produce.
 

 It is sad the brand and its wear will be lost beyond obviously the loss of jobs but as this continues it is bound to have an impact on skills which in order to maintain the industry are needed to be taught both in college and also in the workplace.