MANAGERS of art deco pottery Lorna Bailey Artware have visited several locations in Newcastle as they plot a move from the current Burslem base.

The company, which is named after its sole designer and employs 20 people, wants to move from its Wedgwood Street base to another site in Stoke-on-Trent before Christmas.

Director Lionel Bailey initially looked at several sites in Tunstall and has recently turned his attention to Newcastle in an effort to increase customers.

Mr Bailey said: “Ideally, we want to get on a retail park, but it is a question of finding somewhere where the rates are not horrendous.”

Mr Bailey said in October that he wanted to re-locate the shop after seeing a drop in trade in Burslem. However, a council spokesman said the authority had invested £6.6 million in improving the Mother Town since 1997.