Overview

Stoke-on-Trent (or The Potteries, as the city is affectionately known) is made up of six towns that formed a federation in 1910 and was granted city status 15 years later. The city is in the heart of Staffordshire.

Stoke-on-Trent has a long and rich industrial history; an abundance of coal and suitable clay led to the development of the local pottery industry. The opening of the Trent and Mersey Canal allowed the industry to flourish and The Potteries, under the stewardship of Josiah Wedgwood, were soon famed worldwide. Despite the mines now being closed, the area is still recognised as the world's ceramics capital and many small and large ceramics businesses are based here.

There are several large employers in the area; the city council, Royal Stoke University Hospital, Staffordshire and Keele universities are among the biggest. Because of the city's excellent transport links, several large businesses have headquarters or major distribution centres in or around the city including Bet365, Vodafone, Michelin, Premier Foods. Of course, pottery manufacturers of all sizes are also major local employers.

The city is surrounded by beautiful countryside and a wealth of attractive villages. The River Trent and the Mersey Canal provide picturesque walking and cycling routes and there are several country parks and National Trust locations in the area.

Stoke-on-Trent is a tourist destination and local attractions reflect this; nearby are Alton Towers, Water World, Trentham Gardens, Monkey Forest and several major pottery museums and galleries.

Much of Stoke-on-Trent property is traditional Victorian and Edwardian terraced housing and larger villas. There are several pockets of modern housing in the city centre as well as in the suburbs. The rental market is lively due in some part to the nearby universities and teaching hospital. Heywoods, established in 1881, has grown with the area and is a dominant estate agent in Stoke-on-Trent and the surrounding area.

Schools and Colleges

Residents in any area of Stoke-on-Trent do not have to travel far to send their children to Ofsted-rated 'Good' or 'Outstanding' primary schools. There is a wide choice of secondary schools in the area, the Ofsted 'Good' or 'Outstanding' including:

There is also a number of respected primary and secondary independent schools.

Several of the area's secondary schools offer post-16 education and both Stoke-on-Trent College and City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College are large, purpose-built colleges with state-of-art facilities and good reputations.

Stoke-on-Trent is home to Staffordshire University, and Keele University is under ten miles away.

Transport Links

Stoke-on-Trent is accessible to junctions 15 and 16 of the nearby M6 via the A500. The M6 takes you to Birmingham in the south in around 45 minutes and provides links to the major cities of the North West, including Manchester and Liverpool in around an hour.

Two railway stations serve the immediate Stoke-on-Trent area; Stoke-on-Trent and Longton. Services to London and Nottingham take around 90 minutes; Birmingham, Derby and Manchester take under an hour; the Stafford and Crewe services take around 20-30 minutes.

The bus station in Hanley is a hub for local as well as National Express services.

Stoke-on-Trent has over 150km of cycling routes in and around the city including off-road routes such as canal and river paths and greenways. There is also a 24/7 cycle hire facility with hubs throughout the city.

Amenities

Hanley is the commercial city centre of Stoke-on-Trent with associated shopping and entertainment opportunities in fashion, home ware, sports, book and department stores, a diverse choice of eateries, pubs and clubs alongside theatres, museums and galleries. There are plenty of local shops and supermarkets around the city and several large retail parks as well as entertainment venues and cultural attractions.

The city has many parks and green spaces. Tunstall Park, also known as Victoria Park, is Grade II listed and showcases a range of buildings including a boathouse, bowls pavilion, clock tower, floral hall, bandstand and lodge.

The city is home to two league football clubs; Stoke City and Port Vale. There are several golf courses in the area including Trentham - one of Staffordshire's oldest and best-loved clubs. Uttoxeter Racecourse is just a 20-minute drive away. There are excellent sports facilities including swimming pools, sports grounds and courts and leisure centres.Royal Stoke University Hospital is a large, renowned and respected teaching and research hospital, with an Accident and Emergency department, that has recently benefited from a £350 million development. It is in the Hartshill area and is one of the region's major employers.

Stoke-on-Trent is a vibrant city with its residents coming from many walks of life. This is reflected in the many churches, of various denominations, several mosques and a large Sikh temple in the city.

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