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(1 day later)
Forty jobs have gone at pottery maker Royal Worcester and Spode - a day after the firm called in administrators.Forty jobs have gone at pottery maker Royal Worcester and Spode - a day after the firm called in administrators.
Accountants Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PWC) said 22 posts went from Worcester, 15 in Stoke-on-Trent and three in Newcastle-under-Lyme. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) said 22 posts had gone from Worcester, 15 in Stoke-on-Trent and three in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
It described the redundancies, on Friday morning, as "unavoidable".It described the redundancies, on Friday morning, as "unavoidable".
The move into administration followed the firm's failure to sell its Stoke-on-Trent site along with the current economic downturn, PWC said earlier. The move into administration followed the firm's failure to sell its Stoke-on-Trent site along with the current economic downturn, PwC said earlier.
Royal Worcester and Spode, which dates back to 1751, employs 388 people in the UK at sites in Stoke, Worcester and Lymdale, in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. With a great deal of regret we did have to make a number of redundancies this morning at the site Matthew Hammond, Pricewaterhouse Coopers Royal Worcester and Spode, which dates back to 1751, employs 388 people in the UK at sites in Stoke, Worcester and Lymdale, in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. With a great deal of regret we did have to make a number of redundancies this morning at the site Matthew Hammond, PricewaterhouseCoopers
PWC told BBC News that there had been a "great deal" of early interest in the firm and that it was hopeful a buyer could be found. PwC told BBC News that there had been a "great deal" of early interest in the firm and that it was hopeful a buyer could be found.
It said it was also working with the firm's suppliers, employees and customers to try and find a solution.It said it was also working with the firm's suppliers, employees and customers to try and find a solution.
Confirming the job losses, Mathew Hammond from PWC, added that the business was continuing to trade. Confirming the job losses, Matthew Hammond from PwC added that the business was continuing to trade.
"We've had a great deal of interest in the business over the last 24 hours and in particular, in reaction to a lot of the press coverage that this story and importance of the brand attracted yesterday," he said."We've had a great deal of interest in the business over the last 24 hours and in particular, in reaction to a lot of the press coverage that this story and importance of the brand attracted yesterday," he said.
"With a great deal of regret we did have to make a number of redundancies this morning at the site."With a great deal of regret we did have to make a number of redundancies this morning at the site.
"We have met with all those affected personally of course the remaining staff will continue to work with us in this process.""We have met with all those affected personally of course the remaining staff will continue to work with us in this process."
The company has been hit by consumers' changing tastes and cheaper imports in recent years.The company has been hit by consumers' changing tastes and cheaper imports in recent years.
Last summer 250 workers were laid off in Stoke-on-Trent, citing an increase in adverse trading conditions.Last summer 250 workers were laid off in Stoke-on-Trent, citing an increase in adverse trading conditions.
The US trading subsidiary of the firm, The Royal China and Porcelain Companies Inc, is not affected.The US trading subsidiary of the firm, The Royal China and Porcelain Companies Inc, is not affected.