Editing Stoke-on-Trent (section)

==Economy==

[[File:Stoke-on-trent terrace housing.jpg|thumb|Terraced housing is a common feature in the city.]]

Stoke-on-Trent was a world centre for fine ceramics—a skilled design trade has existed in the area since at least the 12th century. In the late 1980s and 1990s Stoke-on-Trent was hit hard by the general decline in the British manufacturing sector. Numerous factories, [[steel mill|steelworks]], [[coal mining|collieries]], and [[pottery|potteries]] were closed, including the renowned [[Shelton Bar]] steelworks. This resulted in a sharp rise in unemployment in the 'high-skilled but low-paid' workforce.

The pottery firm [[Wedgwood]] and its subsidiary [[Royal Doulton]] are based nearby [[Barlaston]], although much production now takes place in the firm's [[Indonesia]]n factory. [[Portmeirion Pottery|Portmeirion]] is based in Stoke town, and now owns the [[Spode]] and [[Royal Worcester]] ceramics brands. Ceramics firm [[Emma Bridgewater]] is based in Hanley. [[Burleigh Pottery]] is in Middleport. [[Wade Ceramics]] is in Etruria. 

[[Moorcroft]] and Royal Stafford are based in Burslem. [[Aynsley China]] is in Longton, and is one of the last remaining manufacturers of [[bone china]] in the city. Fine china manufacturer [[Dudson]] have premises in Hanley and Burslem. [[Churchill China]] have their main factory in Tunstall. Hotelware manufacturer [[Steelite]] is based in Middleport at the former Dunn Bennett site.

About 9,000 firms are based in the city. Amongst the more notable are [[Bet365]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marquest.com/mqweb.dll/casestudies?date=01/11/2005%2010:33:10 |title=MarQuest Ensures Reliability of bet365's Online Gaming Services |access-date=20 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070827160308/http://www.marquest.com/mqweb.dll/casestudies?date=01%2F11%2F2005%2010%3A33%3A10 |archive-date=27 August 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> founded by local businessman and [[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]] chairman [[Peter Coates]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bookmakersreview.com/c/News/20-07-2006_Peter_Coates_plays_down_the_threat_of_an_American_crackdown_on_internet_gambling/ |title=Peter Coates plays down the threat of an American crackdown on internet gambling |work=Bookmakers Review |publisher=BetReview Ltd |date=20 July 2006 |access-date=20 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071206103639/http://www.bookmakersreview.com/c/News/20-07-2006_Peter_Coates_plays_down_the_threat_of_an_American_crackdown_on_internet_gambling/ |archive-date=6 December 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> and formerly [[Phones4U]], a large retailer of mobile phones started by [[John Caudwell]],{{citation needed|date=September 2020}} until it ceased trading in September 2014.

Stoke City Football Club has been a major symbol of the city since the early 20th century, having spent most of its history in the highest two divisions of the English league, constantly attracting large crowds and signing or launching the careers of many high-profile players – most notably [[Stanley Matthews]] and [[Gordon Banks]]. The club was based at the [[Victoria Ground]] in [[Stoke-upon-Trent]] from 1878 until 1997 when it moved to the Britannia Stadium (now the [[Bet365 Stadium]]) at Trentham Lakes. This was one of the early stages of regeneration in the Trentham area of the city, which included the regeneration of [[Trentham Estate|Trentham Gardens]] several years later when retail and food outlets were added to the visitor attraction. Trentham Monkey Forest opened nearby in 2005.

The [[Michelin]] tyre company has a complex in the city which houses its commercial head office, training centre and a truck tyre re-treading facility. [[Sainsbury's]] supermarket and [[The Co-operative Pharmacy]] have large warehouses in the city. [[Vodafone]] has a large call centre on Festival Park and the UK subsidiary of the lubricant manufacturer [[Fuchs Petrolub]] has its head office at its factory in Hanley. There is a steel foundry owned by [[Goodwin Steel Castings Ltd]] in Joiner's Square. [[Premier Foods]] make [[Mr Kipling]] slices and [[Bakewell tart|Cherry Bakewells]] in Trent Vale. [[The Co-operative Travel]] had its head office in Burslem, before it merged with [[Thomas Cook Group|Thomas Cook]] in 2010.

[[Stoke-on-Trent City Council]] is the city's largest single employer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stoke.gov.uk/ccm/content/cr/personnel/jobs/job-pages/frequently-asked-questions.en |title=Jobs FAQs – Stoke-on-Trent City Council |access-date=9 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110316222858/http://www.stoke.gov.uk/ccm/content/cr/personnel/jobs/job-pages/frequently-asked-questions.en |archive-date=16 March 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Another major employer is the [[Royal Stoke University Hospital]], with over 7,000 staff.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uhns.nhs.uk/WorkingforUs.aspx |title=Working For Us – The Royal Stoke University Hospital |access-date=9 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125230556/http://www.uhns.nhs.uk/WorkingforUs.aspx |archive-date=25 November 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

KPMG's ''[[Competitive Alternatives]] 2004'' report declared Stoke-on-Trent to be the most cost-effective place to set up a new UK business.<ref>{{cite press release |title=UK has lowest business costs in Europe according to KPMG study |publisher=KPMG UK |date=18 February 2004 |url=http://www.kpmg.co.uk/news/detail.cfm?pr=1874 |access-date=10 September 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060214043603/http://www.kpmg.co.uk/news/detail.cfm?pr=1874 |archive-date=14 February 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The city currently has the advantage of offering affordable business property, while being surrounded by a belt of affluent areas such as the [[Peak District]], [[Stone, Staffordshire|Stone]], south [[Cheshire]], and has excellent road links via the A500 and nearby [[M6 motorway|M6]] and rail links.

Tourism to the city was kick-started by the [[Stoke-on-Trent Garden Festival|National Garden Festival]] in 1986 and is now sustained by the many pottery factory shops and tours and by the improved canal network.

[[File:Hanley stoke on trent city centre.jpg|thumb|[[Hanley, Staffordshire|Hanley]], Stoke-on-Trent City Centre.]]

The main shopping centre is the [[Potteries Shopping Centre]] in Hanley, which has {{convert|561000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} of retail space with 87 units including major stores for [[New Look (store)|New Look]], [[Monsoon Stores Ltd|Monsoon]], [[HMV]], [[River Island]], [[H. Samuel]] and [[Superdrug]]. [[Marks & Spencer]] and [[T.K. Maxx]] also have stores in Hanley. A new shopping centre on the site of Hanley's former bus station was due to open in 2016, but development has been delayed and the project is now in doubt.<ref>{{cite web|title=City Sentral|url=http://www.citysentral.co.uk/|access-date=10 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622050117/http://www.citysentral.co.uk/|archive-date=22 June 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> 

The other five towns of the city all have their own smaller town centres. Festival Park is a large retail and business park located in Etruria, built on the former Garden Festival site. There are retail parks in Tunstall, Fenton and Longton. A new retail park in Longton opened and has Currys, Smyths, Pets at Home and Matalan. A pub, McDonald's and Pizza Hut are on the site.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/8m-Longton-Retail-Park-Moves-Forward/story-13097268-detail/story.html|title=£8m Longton Retail Park Moves Forward|work=Stoke Sentinel|date=12 March 2024 }}</ref>

Other notable business people from the city include [[Reginald H. Jones]] (Chairman of [[General Electric]]), venture capitalist [[Jon Moulton]], and [[John Madejski]] (chairman of [[Reading F.C.]] and former owner of ''[[Auto Trader Group|Auto Trader]]'').<ref>{{cite news |date=9 December 2006 |url=http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/comment/article2060012.ece |title=John Madejski: 'Without deep pockets you are wasting your time' |publisher=Independent News and Media |work=The Independent |location=London |access-date=9 December 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071224113915/http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/comment/article2060012.ece |archive-date=24 December 2007  }}</ref>

The Night-time industry has boomed in recent years,{{when|date=June 2023}} with Hanley becoming increasingly popular for its theatres and restaurants.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

In 2016, Stoke-on-Trent was ranked the second-best city to start a business by Quality Formations, based on several factors including commercial property, energy, virtual offices, public transport and financial access.<ref>{{cite news|last1=James|first1=Laura|title=Stoke-on-Trent named second best city in UK for starting a business|url=http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/stoke-on-trent-named-second-best-city-in-uk-for-starting-a-business/story-29541218-detail/story.html|access-date=3 August 2017|publisher=The Sentinel}}</ref>