China & glass
A delicately patterned bone china tea service or sparkling crystal vase make perfect ‘made in Britain’ gifts for friends and loved ones. We’re lucky enough to have more than our fair share of crystal and porcelain manufacturers in Britain with names that are sought after around the world. Buy their products on factory visits or in specialist shops and department stores countrywide.
Edinburgh Crystal
Wonderful crystal glasses (www.edinburgh-crystal.co.uk) of every shape, for every occasion, make a perfect gift or a personal treat. Some 100,000 visitors make their way to Penicuik, just south of Edinburgh each year, to see for themselves the modern magic that turns everyday ingredients into beautiful lead crystal. So why not join them.
Moorcroft
Book a tour at Moorcroft (www.moorcroft.com) and choose to watch either the pottery or ceramic collections taking shape. This small, fiercely independent art pottery, now more than a hundred years old, produces wonderfully brightly patterned collectibles which are in great demand, fetching high prices at salesrooms around the world.
Portmeirion
Botanic Garden is the delightfully pretty pattern that springs to mind with mention of the name Portmeirion (www.portmeirion.co.uk), even though many new ranges of tableware, cookware and giftware have been added to the collection. It takes its name from the Italianate, fantasy village in North Wales where it was first sold.
Royal Doulton
Royal Doulton (www.royaldoulton.com) provide the very best in fine dining – dinnerware, casual tableware, and dinner sets, complemented by Minton, and Royal Albert Old Country Roses. You can add to the elegance at home with collectable figurines like Royal Doulton Pretty Ladies, display pieces from Bunnykins and character jugs, or even Minton bone china and vases.
Spode
England's oldest pottery company is still on its original site, in the heart of the Staffordshire Potteries, where their craftsmen have been designing and manufacturing fine ceramics for over 200 years. Visit Spode (www.spode.co.uk) and see for yourself their superb range of contemporary and traditional designs.
Tutbury Crystal
Using a careful blend of hand blown and modern manufacturing techniques, Tutbury Crystal (www.tutburycrystal.co.uk) is the epitome of tradition in the modern world. 5 centuries in the making, it combines contemporary style with true heritage. Watch the glassblowers in action at their Staffordshire Visitor Centre.
Wedgwood
Perhaps one of the most famous names of all, Wedgwood (www.wedgwood.com) make superb china – everything from full dinner sets to delicate trinket boxes in both familiar, traditional black basalt and Jasper and innovative, contemporary designs. Tour their Visitor Centre in Stoke-on-Trent to watch craftsmen in action.
Welsh Royal Crystal
Welsh Royal Crystal (www.welshcrystal.co.uk/) is Wales’ elite manufacturer of handmade crystal. All pieces are individually blown and hand cut and the range of shapes and decorative cuts embrace traditional and Celtic design influences. Visit the shop in
Cardiff and admire centuries-old handcrafting skills.