“I found Ceramica on You Tube.
Type in ceramica on search.

Very impressed with what we saw., so we paid it a visit.

Ceramica is housed in the Old Town Hall, a little gem that Burslem should be proud of .”

“The staff at Ceramica work extremely hard to promote and develop the attraction on a non existant budget! They have links with many schools in the area and are a valuable resource to many teachers! The children of stoke on trent deserve to learn about their heritage in a creative and educational environment. Ceramica is this environment.”

“You people at the Sentinel always seem to put a photograph of the building that everyone loves to hate. Come on, if you had done your homework you would know that the Ceramica attraction is NOT THE GLASS BUILDING. Try looking up and follow where the golden angel is The Old Town Hall.

Very disappointed that Sam Planks focal radio station was not allowed to rent the glass building. It would have been good for Burslem and Ceramica.

I think it is great for people to pass comment on these things but can you ask them one question have they ever been inside and visited the Ceramica attraction (Old Town Hall building) I know some families that have and have always heard them say how much they enjoyed their visit and how surprised they were of what goes on inside.

Come on Ceramica invite Radio Stoke/The Sentinel to see what goes on. They might with direction turn up at the right building.

I¿m a tax payer and voted NO in your poll. Burslem has not got a lot so don¿t take away what little it has.”

“The CERAMICA project has been a worthy one despite all the protests - its management team have seen to that. The dedicated few who run the site on a shoestring and yet have received several awards and accolades are testament to it. The education facilities provided in the Old Town Hall building are second to none and it is right and proper that a pottery town as famous as Burslem should have a working museum worthy of its past - especially as all traces of these historic names have now virtually disappeared. During its brief life the project has suffered from a number of drawbacks, the biggest of which is the glass & steel monstrosity which replaced the bandstand. I thought at the time that this should never have been built and I am even more convinced today. As a Millennium Project this was a folly on a grand scale and an insult to the town and the city. It could not even be built on time and was finally opened three years late. What a joke! I fail to see what purpose it ever could fulfil. It blocks the view of a magnificent historical building and continues to confuse 90% of the population whenever it is referred to as CERAMICA. It is NOT Ceramica and never will be. Someone in authority has got to be brave and decide enough is enough. It needs demolishing now and there will be no shortage of volunteers! Only then will people see that Burslem is indeed at the centre of a Regeneration Programme. A listed building such as the Town Hall is not ideal for a project like Ceramica, but with support and adequate backing life can be breathed back into it again. People on the outside need to be aware of what awaits them on the inside. It needs publicity. Views of the inside could be portrayed on the windows for passersby and visitors to see. It worked in Venice when the Doges Palace was being restored - the scaffolding was covered in sheeting which portrayed the inside. A recent visit to Eaton Square in London saw a similar sight with the scaffolding covered by an artist's impression of the soon-to-be-refurbished outside of the buildings.
Free-standing signage could be prominently sited if the "listed" status prevents anything being fixed to the building itself. There would be plenty of room for this once the glass folly has been removed. The cleared area could also be used as a sculpture park - the Doulton statue could be resited here along with the long-overdue statue of Arnold Bennett (perhaps even looking towards Waterloo Road, where he used to live?), and one of Josiah Wedgwood commemorating his connection with the town's past.
Come on; let's do something positive for Burslem for a change. Let us show the outside world we are not afraid to face up to past mistakes and let's breathe some life back into the town, starting with Ceramica.
Perhaps the City Council could really be radical and innovative and send out half-price vouchers for Ceramica with next year's Council Tax bills, then at least some of its critics will at least have been afforded a chance to go and actually see the project that they're always confusing and moaning about. Let's be rid of the jokes about the prow of the Titanic and the Emperor's New Clothes. Stoke-on-Trent, and Burslem in particular, deserves more than this.”

“May i please be the one to advice you that ceramica is the grand lady of the old town hall.
Not the glass monster that sits in her shadow.
Ceramica (old town hall),
attracts many shools, and visitors from all over the world. How many people who knock Ceramica (old town hall).
Have taken the time to step inside ??? You have got it in one, not many. Take your heads out of the sand, look up at the golden angel,who sits on the top of the OLD TOWN HALL. And say "what the heck..I'll give it a visit, and then pass comment".”

“How many citizens of stoke have been to ceramica ? Ceramica being the grand lady called the old town hall ( not the glass monster next door, that is currently out of use). As ever folk pass comment on things that they have not experienced. Many schools, and visitors from Britain and abroad visit Ceramica, knowing the value of such an attraction. Citizens of stoke, take your heads out of the sand, open your eyes, see what is on your door step. Stop knocking and start enjoying. You may well enjoy Ceramica as we have. Give it a try !!!!!”

“The Ceramica project has been a worthy one despite all the protests. The education facilities provided in the Old Town Hall building are second to none and it is right and proper that a pottery town as famous as Burslem should have a working museum worthy of its past - especially as all traces of this have now virtually disappeared. However, the project suffers from a number of drawbacks, the biggest of which is the glass and steel folly which replaced the bandstand. I thought at the time that it should never have been built and I am even more convinced today. As a Millennium Project it was an insult. So many setbacks and then three years late! I fail to see what purpose it could ever fulfil. It blocks the view of a magnificent historical building and confuses 90% of the population whenever it is referred to as CERAMICA. No, it is not CERAMICA! It never was and never will be. Someone has got to be very brave and decide enough is enough and demolish it once and for all. Only then will people see that Burslem is indeed part of a Regeneration programme. A listed building, such as the Town Hall, is not ideal for a project like Ceramica but life can be injected into it. I suggest images of the inside facilities are displayed in the windows so that people on the outside can visualise what is in store for them within. Perhaps the "listed" status does not allow for modern advertising to be affixed but surely free-standing advertising could help to draw the visitors in - especially when the glass folly has been removed. The cleared area could be used for items of public art - the re-sited Doulton statue, for example; a long-overdue statue of Arnold Bennett (perhaps looking down Waterloo Road towards his old house?); another of Josiah Wedgwood, commemorating his part in the town's history.
Come on; let's do something positive in Burslem for a change. Let us show the outside world we are not afraid to face up to past mistakes and let's breathe some life into the town, starting with Ceramica. Perhaps all City Council Tax-payers could be issued with a half-price voucher with next year's Council Tax Bill and then at least some of its critics will at least have been afforded the chance of seeing it before moaning about it and getting it confused with the rescued bow of the Titanic!”

“Perhaps if a little of the money that is pumped into improving Hanley, could be redirected to improving our smaller towns such as Burslem, people may be more inclined to visit.

I used to live in Burslem about five years agon and very little has changed since then. There was a time when we barely even got Christmas Lights - they all went to Hanley instead.

Any regeneration in Stoke on Trent is confined to Hanley. After all, the chavs need somewhere nice to hang around.”

“I have been to ceramica a number of times for parties and school holiday times and enjoy it very much. I used to go to the institute as well when I went to Burslem, which is now sadly closed. There seems to be a question about Ceramicas cost to the tax payer. How much does the locked up institute cost the tax payer? It still has to be insured and secured. Won't this be a high premium on an unoccupied building - isn't it at more risk from vandals and fire if unused ? How much did the town hall cost the taxpayer in the 1990s when it was boarded up? How much would it cost today, and then in years to come when it had stood to rot to put right? Surely better to keep the town hall in use as ceramica for the benefit of school children, local people and visitors to the town.”

“I have visited ceramica in the old town hall on a number of occasions for activities and parties etc. I also used the library in the institute which is now sadly closed. We do not need any more boarded up buildings in burslem. There seems to be a question regarding the cost to the tax payer for ceramica. How much is the boarded up institute costing and for no gain. How much does it cost to secure and insure a building which is not in use and at greater risk of fire and vandelism. It would cost the tax payer insurance, maintenance and security for the town hall even if ceramica was closed. Surely better to keep it in use as ceramica than let the town hall run to the sorry state of the institute which will cost the taxpayer dear in the long run for all of the repair work created by neglect. How much did the old town hall cost the taxpayer in the 1990s when it was boarded up? A wonderful statement to visitors and local people alike.”