Situated about half-way between Manchester and Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent (abbr. Stoke) is famous for many things. The city’s pottery industry conquered the world, so too did Robbie Williams, and Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, for that matter. Admittedly, Captain Edward Smith fell short when he fired up the engines of the Titanic. Nevertheless, Stoke’s influence has extended far beyond the boundaries of the six towns that make up the flourishing city. Take a look; do not be shy, beyond the famous attractions like Alton Towers, Trentham Gardens, World of Wedgwood, and the Regent Theatre, you will see that ‘the Potteries’ still has plenty of surprises in store.

1. What makes Stoke unique?
2. Stoke’s popular attractions
3. Nightlife in Stoke
4. Sports in Stoke
5. Restaurants in Stoke
6. Shopping in Stoke
7. Stoke living costs
8. Festivals and Events in Stoke
9. Travel in and around Stoke
10. Explore the UK from Stoke

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1. What makes Stoke unique?

The city of six towns, Stoke (affectionately nicknamed The Potteries) is home to a wealth of world-class visitor attractions, award-winning museums, exceptional gardens, five Victorian parks and the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon treasure ever to be found.

Stoke is the home of the pottery industry in England and is commonly known as the Potteries, with the local residents known as Potters. Formerly a primarily industrial conurbation, it is now a centre for service industries and distribution centres.

Stoke has also been the birthplace of many actors, including Hugh Dancy who has been in Black Hawk Down, Freddie Jones, Alan Lake, Adrian Rawlins, Hanley Stafford (American radio actor), Jonathan Wilkes and Neil Morrissey, star of Men Behaving Badly. Hollyoaks actress Rachel Shenton is also from the area.

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2. Stoke’s popular attractions

Stoke is full of fun things to do and unique places to visit. Within this wonderful place are numerous spots you can not miss, including:

• Emma Bridgewater Factory. Take an award-winning tour, visit the heavily discounted shop and have a go at producing your own earthenware masterpiece.
• Trentham Gardens. Comprising 725 acres of land set within a glorious stretch of North Staffordshire, this is the last remnant of one of England’s greatest garden estates.
• World of Wedgwood. One of the most important industrial collections in existence and offers a unique record of over 250 years of ground-breaking British ceramic design and production.
• Potteries Museum & Art Gallery. Home to the most significant collection of Staffordshire ceramics in the world and the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon treasure ever found.
• Bethesda Chapel. One of England’s grandest surviving town chapels.
• Stoke Minister. Believed to have once been an important Celtic religious site and where Christian worship has taken place since Saxon times.
• Burslem Town Square. ‘Mother town’ of The Potteries, Burslem dates back to at least 1085. Today, the boom in global demand for Staffordshire pottery can still be seen reflected in the town’s many fine red brick buildings and grand displays of civic pride.

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3. Nightlife in Stoke

When it comes to nightlife, Stoke’s bars, pubs and clubs offer something for everyone, whether that is quiet pints, gin palaces, or all-nighters. You will find some of the best pubs in Stoke within easy walking distance of one another towards the bottom end of Newcastle-under-Lyme town centre. First up is The Lymestone Vaults. It is hidden down an alleyway off the High Street. It is the brewery tap for the local Lymestone Brewery. Inside, you will find a lovely relaxed pub with an open fire, a small menu of simple and delicious homemade food, a fantastic selection of gins and real ales, board games to keep you busy, and a no swearing policy to keep things friendly.

Next up, continue to the bottom of the High Street, cross the road and call into the Bridge Street Ale House. It is an ale-lovers paradise with a purist approach to running a pub. There is no music, they do not sell shots, spirits or Carling, just a small selection of ever-changing real ales and ciders. The staff are welcoming and certainly know their stuff, and as an added bonus, it is a dog-friendly pub, too.

When you fancy moving on, head to The Old Brown Jug at the bottom of Bridge Street. It is a long-standing traditional pub that ticks all the right boxes, with real ales, spirit selections, friendly staff, and good music. It regularly hosts live music, and on the weekends stays open until late with DJs adding to the atmosphere.

If you are staying out late for a night on the town, The Sugarmill doubles up as one of the best clubs in Hanley, as well as one of the best venues in terms of entertainment in Stoke. Spread across three floors, including a top-class roof terrace, it is always a quality option. Electric Fridays are the longest running alternative club nights in the county, and on the last night of every month, it turns into an all-nighter. Keep an eye out for The Sugarmill’s legendary house night, The Move. It takes place every bank holiday, Sunday, as well as some Saturdays, and books some of the biggest names in house music from around the world.

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4. Sports in Stoke

Stoke is one of the smallest cities in the country to boast two Football League clubs. Despite the fact it has been over 25 years since they last played in the same division, there is no love lost between both sets of rival supporters.

The most popular and successful of the two clubs is Stoke City, who play at the bet365 Stadium. ‘The Potters’ are the second oldest club playing in the Football League, having been founded in 1863, and their rich history is intertwined with legends of the game, such as Sir Stanley Matthews, Gordon Banks, and Jonathan Walters.

Other state-of-the-art facilities open to the public include:

• New Horizon Sport and Leisure Centre
• Dimensions Leisure Centre
• Sir Stanley Matthews Sports Centre
• Wallace Sports and Education Centre
• 21st Century Leisure
• Kidsgrove Sports Centre
• Clayton Sports Centre
• Northwood Stadium
• City of Stoke Gymnastic Centre

5. Restaurants in Stoke

Photo credit: gingergirlsays

As far as Stoke’s restaurants go, The Exchange is one of the favourite eateries across the six towns, where you can find on the bottom of Trinity Street serving up big portions of great value guilty pleasures.

Alternatively, make your way just around the corner to Portofino. As far as Stoke’s food scene goes, this Italian restaurant is a veritable institution. You do not have that kind of innings without knowing a thing or two about running a restaurant. As you can expect from the best Italian restaurant, the service and atmosphere are great, while the food is simple and delicious. If you are looking for somewhere to go for a pre-theatre meal, you can not go far wrong with a trip to Portofino.

If you are after somewhere special to enjoy an evening meal, then make your way to Marloes next to the sunken roundabout. It is a tiny, family-run bistro that has been serving beautiful food for more than 30 years. A word to the wise, due to its size and popularity, you’ll have to book quite far in advance to try and get a table at Marloes. It is worth the effort, though; restaurants do not get much better than this in Staffordshire.

Photo credit: gingergirlsays

Another nearby option in Newcastle-under-Lyme is The Orange Tree. It is the most conveniently located restaurant from the Paragon Group of several eateries, all offering stylish surroundings, and ranking among the most popular places to eat in the region. When it comes to first impressions, it is hard not to appreciate the wow factor of The Orange Tree. It is a beautifully restored Georgian building, with chic contemporary decor and a delightful glass extension. The service is exemplary, the food plated to perfection, and the cocktails are so good.

David’s Brasserie is a family-run restaurant with an informal café atmosphere during the day, which transforms into a candle-lit bistro in the evenings. The menu is excellent, so too the service; try it for yourself and see why it is many people’ favourite restaurant in Trentham.

A more casual option is Pieminister. The popular chain began life in Bristol before taking over Britain with 15 of their own restaurants, as well as partnering with 45 pubs. The pies are pukka, with plenty of different flavours to choose from. Service is fast, prices are decent, and the eating is good.

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6. Shopping in Stoke

If you want some retail therapy, one of the best places to go shopping in Stoke is the Intu Potteries shopping centre in Hanley, where you will find retailers like Primark, H&M, Pandora and Topshop.

Further afield, Trentham Shopping Village has more than 75 timber huts housing everything from outdoor brands and boutiques to homeware stores and delicatessens. It also offers plenty of free parking, perfect if you want to do some shopping after exploring the Trentham Estate.

Last but not least, if you are looking for menswear, Pockets and Infinities are two excellent options with stores in both Newcastle-under-Lyme and Hanley’s Cultural Quarter.

7. Stoke living costs

Budget guide:

• One-way ticket (Local transport): £2.50
• Meal out: £11.00
• Fast food (McDonald’s): £5.80
• Gasoline (1 litre): £1.27
• Cinema ticket: £7.50
• Taxi (normal tariff): £2.80

Photo credit: Joe Skade via Flickr

8. Festivals and Events in Stoke

Stoke has a number of wide-ranging festivals and events throughout the year, including:

• Just So Festival. Held every August, this is a weekend family adventure beyond your wildest dreams.
• Stoke Gardens Festival. The second of Britain's national garden festivals
• Stoke Literary Festival. A fantastic range of authors, writers, playwrights and performers celebrating Stoke’s contribution to the creative arts.
• The Bid Fest. An outdoor arts festival bringing world-class artists and performances to Stoke's City Centre.

9. Travel in and around Stoke

Stoke is not your typical city in that it is six towns rolled into one. It probably does not come as a surprise that it can be tricky getting around such a large area.

Public transport

In terms of public transport, you will arrive into town via either the £15 million 22-bay Hanley Bus Station, or Stoke train station, which dates back to Victorian times. If you want to catch a taxi, Uber is widely available. Alternatively, you can choose from any number of local taxi providers, such as Roseville Taxis.

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By plane

If you are looking to travel from further afield, you can fly into Manchester Airport. It is 40-odd miles away, but is your closest option. One option is to stay at one of Manchester Airport hotels before travelling by rail or road to Stoke.

10. Explore the UK from Stoke

Stoke is an ideal base for you to start exploring neighbouring cities, towns, and the rest of the UK.

Nottingham

Nottingham, county town of Nottinghamshire, is built on a number of hills on the north bank of the River Trent. The city has a long tradition as a trading hub and manufacturing center and is known for its fine lace. Known as the "Queen of the Midlands" on account of its broad streets and picturesque parks, such as the Arboretum, Embankment, and Colwick Park, Nottingham is a great base from which to explore nearby Sherwood Forest, the legendary home of Robin Hood.

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Manchester

Widely known to the world as the birthplace of the industrial revolution, Manchester has a proud history in politics, science, sport, and arts. In this place, you will find numerous museums, art galleries, sport stadiums, that will fulfill your every desire.

It is one of the most exciting cities to visit in the UK. Popular for its youthful, diverse, bustling, and energetic vibes, everyone is warmly welcomed to experience all that it has to offer. Whether it is from shopping at the Trafford Centre or watching an intense football match at Old Trafford, this city offers something for everyone.

Crewe

Crewe is one of the few places to be named after its railway station, instead of vice versa. Located within the borough of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, this place consists of beautiful landmarks and excellent villages that are worth your visit. Alongside, you can also take tours around some of the most exclusive historical constructions and museums on its train station history. Being in Crewe is not just about these railway towns and stations, but there are also excellent days out, quality eating, top-class drinking, and a fabulous entertainment scene to enjoy.