Overview
- Burleigh was bought on Tuesday by Christopher Bailey and a small group of investors, and the company says production at Middleport Pottery will continue without interruption.
- Reports say all 62 staff at the Stoke-on-Trent site will be retained under the new ownership, preserving payroll and day-to-day operations at the factory.
- Bailey will help set strategy and is expected to be involved daily, and he said he is committed to protecting the company’s craftsmanship and design heritage.
- The sale follows the wider Denby Group’s administration in March, when rising energy and employment costs threatened Burleigh’s future while the rest of Denby remains in administration.
- Burleigh is one of the last makers using traditional hand tissue‑transfer printing, and the deal preserves that rare skill, the Grade II* site and the brand’s international partnerships, which could help revive other heritage makers facing similar cost pressures.