Bailey’s Heritage Rescue: Former Burberry Boss Acquires Burleigh Pottery
The acquisition of the 175-year-old Stoke-on-Trent manufacturer ensures the preservation of 62 jobs and traditional hand-made techniques, following the collapse of parent company Denby.
Christopher Bailey, the former chief executive of Burberry, has acquired Burleigh Pottery alongside a group of private investors, securing the future of the 175-year-old Stoke-on-Trent ceramics manufacturer. The investment ensures the continuation of production at the Middleport Pottery site, preserving the jobs of all 62 staff members who were not made redundant following the collapse of Burleigh’s parent company.
The acquisition follows the administration of Denby, established in 1809, which called in administrators in March 2026 due to rising energy and labour costs. Manufacturing at Denby ceased the following month, resulting in worker redundancies. Denby was the latest in a number of traditional British ceramics companies to collapse amid soaring energy costs and pressure from cheaper international competitors, despite a £120m support package announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves last month.
Burleigh, founded in 1851, is Britain’s last continuously working Victorian pottery. It maintains traditional hand-made manufacturing techniques, including a distinctive “tissue transfer” printing method where designs are engraved by hand onto copper rollers, transferred onto delicate tissue paper, and then applied to clay. The intensive nature of this work means Burleigh ceramics retail for relatively high prices, with mugs costing £45 and upwards, while teapots sell for £164.
Bailey, who stepped down from Burberry in 2018, stated he is “deeply committed to protecting and showcasing the craftsmanship and character that make Burleigh unique.” He noted that the company’s skill, care, and creative spirit continue to define the business, adding that he aims to help shape its future as a distinctive and meaningful British design house.
The value of the acquisition deal has not been made public. Bailey, who transformed Burberry into a global brand over 17 years, has remained largely out of the spotlight since his departure. The Middleport Pottery site, built in the 1860s, was historically known as a model factory for its modern technology and layout designed to facilitate the flow of products through the site.