From a fairytale in York, to artsy Bristol and beautiful Edinburgh, the UK has plenty of vibrant cities for a fun-filled weekend away.
But one town that is unlikely to be on your radar is Stoke-on-Trent.
The West Midlands city, famed for being the birthplace of Robbie Williams and The Great Pottery Throw Down, was recently named in a list of the UK’s most underrated city breaks.
Time Out cited the ‘nationally-renowned pottery museum’ and ‘six distinct city centres’, as well as ‘peerless access to nature’ as clear reasons why tourists ought to give this historic town a try.
But not everyone agrees.
‘I honestly find it to be a place of almost no redeeming features,’ wrote on Redditor. ‘The place is sad and run down.’
While another summed it up as: ‘Bleak, terrible and pointless.’ And a third added: ‘Smoke on Stench, as a friend from there calls it.’
Even popular TikToker Luke Hamnett admitted his home town was a ‘sh*t hole’. With one commenter adding: ‘I live in Stoke, but I never admit it.’
Ok, we can’t deny, on the surface, Stoke isn’t exactly aesthetically pleasing, especially compared to other names on the list, such as Durham and Canterbury.
The main high-streets are in various states of disrepair, with closed down shops and crumbling factories.
But do a bit of digging, and you might be surprised.
Stoke has a rich history in pottery (hence its nickname the Potteries) which dates back to the 17th century. At the time, there was abundance of clay in the area, which meant it soon became the ceramics capital of the world.
Today, you can still visit Gladstone Pottery Museum, the only complete Victorian pottery factory left. You can watch the demonstrations of traditional skills, and even give them a go yourself.
For something a little more modern, Emma Bridgewater, famed for her colourful, polka dot ceramics, moved her factory just outside Stoke city centre in the mid-90s. You can try your handing a painting a design onto a piece of pottery in the Decorating Studio and go on a tour too. Their Kitchen Café is also a great spot for a bite to eat.
Or, if you want to branch out from pottery, the Barewall Gallery sells pieces by local artists.
The official town centre of Stoke-on-Trent is in Hanley (Stoke is actually made up of six towns: Stoke, Hanley, Fenton, Tunstall, Burslem and Longton), is also worth a visit.
Back in 2018, the Business Improvement District was established here in an attempt to improve the area.
As such festivals and streets parties have been introduced, such as The Big Feast, and Beats & Eats. They’ve also improved the look and feel of the area with artwork projects and murals.
Stoke’s brand trendy new neighbourhood, The Goods Yard, near to the railway station is also set to open next year. There will be new homes, leisure spaces, shops and boutiques.
And let’s not forget, that the area around Stoke is famed for its natural beauty. You’re a stone’s throw from the likes of Cannock Chase and the Peak District, and, a trip to Stoke wouldn’t be complete without heading to Alton Towers.
It’s also worth noting that Stoke-on-Trent was named by the Sunday Times in 2022 as one of the best up and coming areas in the UK to invest in. According to Rightmove, the average price of a home in Stoke is was £155,916 over the last year. That’s almost half of the price of homes in nearby Chester, which average at £304,462.
Maybe it’s time to finally give Stoke the spotlight?
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