Buyer could still be found for china site (From Worcester News)

Buyer could still be found for china site

8:20am Monday 13th April 2009 in

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ROYAL Worcester porcelain may not close at the end of the month after all as hopes continue that a buyer can be found, administrators say.

As your Worcester News reported on Saturday, staff feared the famous site in Severn Street would shut on Thursday, April 30, after heads of department were called to a meeting with administrators about the future of the 258-year-old firm.

However, a spokesman for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC), administrators of Royal Worcester & Spode Ltd, said that despite speculation, there was no plan to close the Worcester site at the end of April.

The spokeswoman said: “Various sales promotions have been undertaken during the course of the administration and sales at the Worcester shop have been and continue to be strong.

“There are several positive interests from third parties for the Worcester site. Further comment will be made when a firm conclusion can be announced.”

Although most porcelain production left the site some time ago, the remaining shops and seconds outlet had continued to attract hundreds of visitors to the city each year.

The administrators had declined to comment when the Worcester News revealed the proposed closure date on Saturday.

When asked by your Worcester News yesterday why staff had apparently been told that the historic firm would close at the end of the month, she said: “I don’t know where that date has come from. There is a possibility it might not close at all but we can’t make any promises.”

Administrators were appointed in November 2008 but despite expressions of interest, no buyer has yet been found.

Mike Foster, MP for Worcester, said: “The uncertainty is not good for anyone and people I have been talking to have been genuinely surprised that the shop in particular cannot be saved as a going concern, being so close to the museum. The retail outlet should be in a good position to do well.

“I would urge the administrators to do what they can to make clear what the future is for people who are still employed there.”

Antiques expert Henry Sandon, a curator at Royal Worcester for 17 years, was at the site on Saturday, when he said many people were looking for bargains on the understanding the site would close.

Mr Sandon said he had never seen so many people in the shop before.

However, he said: “I don’t think Royal Worcester can continue in its present form. During the great days they were making the finest things in the world but of late they haven’t. The public certainly believe that it’s closing.”