Historic British pottery firm collapses into administration in latest blow to the high street

Joe Sledge
Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:47:11 +0000

Denby, the renowned British pottery manufacturer with roots stretching back more than two centuries, is set to enter administration today as discussions with prospective purchasers continue.

The Derbyshire-based firm, which began operations in 1809, will formally appoint insolvency specialists FRP Advisory to manage the process, weeks after initially lodging notice of its intention to seek administrators.

Sources indicate that FRP intends to keep the business operational throughout the administration period, with several external parties expressing interest in acquiring the company's assets.

FRP Advisory declined to provide comment on the matter.

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The company had been searching for investors but was reportedly unable to identify backers whose approach aligned with its vision and values.

Denby’s origins trace back to William Bourne’s discovery of fine clay deposits in Derbyshire, which enabled his son Joseph Bourne to establish the pottery enterprise that would become a British manufacturing institution.

The firm pioneered salt-glazed bottle production and grew into a prominent exporter by the 1830s.

The company continues to craft its stoneware from the same location where it first began operations more than 200 years ago.

Throughout the twentieth century, Denby expanded its offerings with ranges such as Cottage Blue and Epic ware before shifting its primary focus to tableware during the 1970s.

The Imperial Blue collection, launched in 1989, became one of its signature lines.

Staff at the Derbyshire site have maintained the tradition of handcrafting each piece of pottery.

Denby attributed its financial difficulties to challenging trading conditions that persisted over the past three years, combined with weakened consumer demand for its products.

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The company said escalating employment costs within the United Kingdom had placed considerable strain on its finances.

Surging industrial energy prices further compounded the pressure on the business.

Earlier this month, Denby expressed hope of securing fresh investment or achieving a financial restructuring to safeguard its future.

However, the firm warned on its website without such intervention, permanent closure remained a genuine possibility.

The collapse represents another blow to Britain’s retail and manufacturing sectors during a particularly testing period, with businesses grappling with higher employer National Insurance contributions, minimum wage increases and elevated energy expenses.

The pottery group also holds ownership of the Burleigh brand, which received royal backing in 2010 when the then-Prince of Wales provided £9million to fund urgent repair works at its Middleport Pottery facility.

This is not the first time Denby has faced the prospect of collapse.

The company changed ownership in February 2009 when it was similarly teetering on the edge of administration, with that transaction preserving hundreds of jobs.

At that time, rival pottery firms Waterford Wedgwood and Royal Worcester had already succumbed to financial difficulties.

The latest insolvency figures from The Insolvency Service recorded 1,878 registered company failures in England and Wales during February, representing a seven per cent increase from January but a seven per cent decline compared with the same month last year.