Longton Exchange has just welcomed a vibrant new addition to its community: Kiln at Number 12.
This fabulous coffee shop not only serves delicious cakes and artisan coffee but also houses an inspiring pottery workshop upstairs. It’s a place where creativity flourishes, and visitors can immerse themselves in the art of ceramics while enjoying a relaxed, inviting atmosphere. Whether you’re a seasoned potter or just looking for a space to unwind with a hot drink with friends and family, Kiln at Number 12 has something special to offer.
We had the pleasure of proposing some questions to Mat and Rachel, the passionate minds behind this creative haven. We discussed their journey, vision, and what makes Kiln at Number 12 a must-visit destination in Stoke-on-Trent. Here’s what they had to say…
- Tell us about how Kiln at Number 12 came about? What made you open the shop and why?
Kiln was born out of an idea to combine all arms of the businesses that we have worked on. Ceramics is our first love, and everything at Kiln is built around this, from the throwing-on-the-wheel workshops in the upstairs studio to the pottery painting in the cafe. The extra space will also give us the opportunity to develop a wider range of creative workshops, and also collaborate with other local designer-makers.
- Can you give us a brief background on your journey so far with regards to your creative endeavours?
We both graduated from Staffordshire University with BA Hons, Mathew in Ceramic design and Rachel in Surface Pattern. We have been running Dimbleby Ceramics together but wanted to expand the offering and create a destination for people to visit and create great experiences with friends and family. Both Stokies born and bred, we have always wanted to be involved in regenerating our great City; after all, it is a place known for creativity! Historically the birthplace of pottery manufacture in the UK, Stoke-on-Trent continues to be known for the Great Pottery Throwdown which is filmed a stone’s throw from the Kiln at Number 12.
- Longton Exchange is thrilled to have you both at the centre. How do you hope Kiln at Number 12 will impact the local community and attract a new audience to the area?
We are so excited to be part of the regeneration of Longton Exchange and hope to play a key part in driving up footfall, changing perceptions and giving the local community something to be proud of and engage with. We know we will bring in visitors from outside the area as we have had people travel from the north of Glasgow and as far south as Cornwall to attend one of Mathew’s 5 star rated Potter’s wheel courses. This enables us to signpost visitors to other attractions and whilst they are here they will visit other shops within the centre adding to the wider economy. The most important thing is that they leave with great memories, a smile on their face and share what we and the wider community at Longton Exchange has on offer. Out of all the six towns we see Longton as having the most potential and this is why we have invested in transforming the space.
- You’re also opening Kiln at Number 12 in the evenings for alcoholic drinks. What can we expect from a night out at Kiln?
Initially this will be on the last weekend of the month, using a TENS (through Rachel’s personal alcohol licence) before we apply for a premises licence. Our aim is to create a relaxed and chilled environment where locals and visitors can enjoy a drink, make new friends and become part of a community that is engaging in the precinct. We have lots of ideas from quiz nights, music nights and much more as we develop and grow.
- Tell us more about how your pottery journey began and how you hope to impact the community with these classes.
Mat:
My pottery journey began in Longton in Greendock Street working for Hand and Partners at 16, learning all the industrial processes of modelling, blocking and casing. This was invaluable when I started a Degree in Ceramic Design at Staffordshire University aged 24. When I graduated I was selected to attend New Designers at the Islington Business Design Centre and this resulted in me producing work for Heals, John Lewis and many other stores as well as independent boutiques. I set up my first studio at The Roslyn Works on the side of Gladstone Pottery Museum after graduating and then went on to run my business from home, so it’s great to be launching Kiln at Number 12 in Longton, it feels like returning to home ground and we really feel like part of the community.
Rachel:
My Grandad was a potter and I have many memories of his work, his sketchbooks and of course his tools. We still have many of his pieces in our home which are very precious. I studied Surface Pattern at Staffordshire university but did take several short courses in ceramics in my first and second years so I learned a lot about the ceramic processes. I have been an art teacher for 28 years and always try to get some clay experiences for my students into the curriculum!
- What is the process of making one of your favourite pottery pieces? Can you talk us through it?
Mat:
I love making mugs as you can really experiment with the form and love how the handle creates balance and harmony with the shape. It is the process of starting the idea from the design stage on paper then seeing how this translates into the clay form on the potter’s wheel. This will then develop, and experimentation can often take place whilst on the wheel as you start to visualise other possibilities with the form. The handle is made by taking a single lump of clay and using water for lubrication, the handle is gently pulled downwards, thinning the clay handle each time to the desired thickness. When the handle is dry enough it can be shaped, cut, then both the mug body and handle scored and cross hatched to create a key. Liquid clay is applied called slip which acts like glue bonding the two pieces together. You then have your completed mug ready to dry, be biscuit fired (first fired) a second firing is then done after the glaze is applied and you have your finished mug.
- With such a vibrant and multifaceted space, what are your long-term goals for Kiln at Number 12? Are there any future plans or events you’re particularly excited about?
The long-term goal is to have Kiln recognised locally as a go-to place to visit and enjoy with friends. In just three weeks we have achieved a following of over 400 people and this is growing daily as we keep our socials fresh and up to date, engaging with our followers. Building the workshop offerings is our current goal, and we aim to offer a wide range of art activities for all ages and budgets. There are some exciting ideas in the pipeline! We also want to collaborate with others to bring in fresh pop-up food events that will sit alongside Kiln’s offering, particularly on the weekends when we have an alcohol licence. We want to grow but in a way that ensures that what we deliver is done well and to a high standard.
- What do you expect a day in the life of Matt and Rachel to look like when Kiln opens?
Mat will run the clay workshops and deal with the trade and retail orders that come through from our websites. Rachel will be focusing on the day-to-day running of the coffee shop and the pottery painting plus organising and facilitating the creative workshops. There has been so much interest from the lovely locals of Longton as we have been working on getting the shop open that we hope to see lots of them come in to buy coffee and cake which will keep us busy.
- What’s been your biggest challenge relating to the development of the shop so far?
There are many challenges when starting a new venture and so the answer to this question could fill a book! One of the biggest challenges has been coordinating the fit-out of both floors of the shop. Being creative, we have designed and fitted out the shop ourselves, this has been hard work but it meant that we could change details (such as the table legs) easily when we were not happy with outcomes. We have even designed and made the shop front signage, hand cutting the lettering and painting it by hand as we had a clear idea of what the look needed to be and wanted full control of it.
So what have we learnt?
– Herringbone tiling is an art; it took 14 hours to tile the bar counter but it looks fantastic now and was absolutely the right choice.
– The small details are as important as the large ones.
– Utility companies are a nightmare to deal with when you are setting up. So many cold calls to fend off…
– Keep the spreadsheets up to date…
– Take your planning book everywhere you go – especially the pub!
Thank you Mat and Rachel for taking the time to introduce yourselves and answer our questions. We are beyond excited to celebrate with you and we extend a warm welcome to the Longton Exchange family! We can’t wait to sneak in for a piece of cake!