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| Crown Derby offer £1m dinner set | Crown Derby offer £1m dinner set |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A leading UK china firm is moving "boldly" into the overseas market with a lavish new £1m dinner service aimed at wealthy customers. | A leading UK china firm is moving "boldly" into the overseas market with a lavish new £1m dinner service aimed at wealthy customers. |
| Royal Crown Derby's new Heritage range features plates costing £10,000 and tea pots at £5,000 each. | Royal Crown Derby's new Heritage range features plates costing £10,000 and tea pots at £5,000 each. |
| A large setting for a palace could cost a prospective buyer up to £1m. | A large setting for a palace could cost a prospective buyer up to £1m. |
| Despite poor Christmas sales, the Derby-based firm hopes its pricey new offering will help it weather the economic downtown. | Despite poor Christmas sales, the Derby-based firm hopes its pricey new offering will help it weather the economic downtown. |
| The 250-year-old firm, known around the world for its stylish chinaware, said it was hoping to make "a bold statement" with the new range. | The 250-year-old firm, known around the world for its stylish chinaware, said it was hoping to make "a bold statement" with the new range. |
| The china is hand-finished and intricately decorated with layers of gold on coloured backgrounds. | The china is hand-finished and intricately decorated with layers of gold on coloured backgrounds. |
| Palace functions | Palace functions |
| Simon Willis, marketing manager at Royal Crown Derby, said the firm would not actually produce the high-cost items until an order was placed. | Simon Willis, marketing manager at Royal Crown Derby, said the firm would not actually produce the high-cost items until an order was placed. |
| "At a time when people are cutting back, to come out with something that is expensive and lavish may be seen as being brave. | "At a time when people are cutting back, to come out with something that is expensive and lavish may be seen as being brave. |
| "But we have a very strong brand and very skilled workers and want to make the most of it." | "But we have a very strong brand and very skilled workers and want to make the most of it." |
| He added Christmas sales were not as good as expected, but the firm was "determined to weather the storm". | He added Christmas sales were not as good as expected, but the firm was "determined to weather the storm". |
| "We want to preserve our skills we have here because the recession will end and demand will increase." | "We want to preserve our skills we have here because the recession will end and demand will increase." |
| The china and pottery industry has faced hard times recently, with Waterford Wedgwood planning to lay off 367 workers, mostly at Stoke-on-Trent, and Royal Worcester and Spode going into administration in November. | The china and pottery industry has faced hard times recently, with Waterford Wedgwood planning to lay off 367 workers, mostly at Stoke-on-Trent, and Royal Worcester and Spode going into administration in November. |
| Derbyshire-based Denby Pottery has also said it plans to cut its workforce. | Derbyshire-based Denby Pottery has also said it plans to cut its workforce. |
| Mr Willis said sales of the lavish product would probably be in the Middle East and newly developing industrialised countries. | Mr Willis said sales of the lavish product would probably be in the Middle East and newly developing industrialised countries. |
| "There is a lot of money out there - even though shares may have dropped, they still have some billions left and there are still houses and palaces being built. They do need a dinner service and I don't think it's going to be a cheap one". | "There is a lot of money out there - even though shares may have dropped, they still have some billions left and there are still houses and palaces being built. They do need a dinner service and I don't think it's going to be a cheap one". |
| The range will be launched at a trade fair in Paris next week. | The range will be launched at a trade fair in Paris next week. |
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| Royal Crown Derby is targeting export customers mainly in the Middle East |