Keep the Minton Archive in North Staffordshire

MP meets Government minister on future of Minton Archive.

TALKS to keep the Minton Archive in North Staffordshire are continuing.

Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Mark Fisher said the Government was still in contact with the collection's new owner over the future of the archive.

The documents cover two centuries of design and manufacture by pottery company Minton, which merged with Royal Doulton in 1968 and was acquired by Waterford Wedgwood in 2005.

It is now owned by U.S.-based equity firm, KPS Capital Partners, which bought much of Waterford Wedgwood when it went bust earlier this year. The Minton archive includes thousands of water colors and drawings by artists associated with Minton – one of Royal Doulton's most famous brands.

Mr Fisher, has spoken with the government's culture minister, Margaret Hodge, in recent weeks about the archive. And he told The Sentinel: "The Government is discussing the future of the archive with its new owners and our position in the city remains that same. "The archive must be kept in one piece and be displayed in a public place in North Staffordshire such as the Potteries Museum." "I have spoken to Margaret Hodge. She is on the case and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are still in discussions with the owners, as they have been for several months."

The archive was set to go under the hammer at London auctioneer Bonhams in London in March following the collapse of owner Waterford Wedgwood.

But the planned sale was stopped by North Staffordshire MPs and peers, who argued it had great importance locally and culturally.

Mr Fisher added: "It is a wonderful archive and we need to see it remain in the city."

Details at the Staffordshire Sentinel web:

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/cobridge/MP-meets-Government-minister-future-Minton-Archive/article-1657472-detail/article.html