A former Stoke-on-Trent pottery factory is welcoming two new businesses to the site.

Over the last few years, Spode Works, in Stoke, has been transformed into a popular commercial and leisure space boasting the Potbank aparthotel, offices and studios, indoor and outdoor events space and a cafe and restaurant.

Now new studios are being developed after multimedia agency i-creation and design business Megan Rose Design signed pre-let deals for the space.

The new offices form part of an ongoing expansion at the site which will include upgrades to the new Factory Floor events space and improved disabled access.

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Jeff Nash, director of Dog and Bone Projects which owns the Potbank scheme, says the Spode Works site is fast-becoming a hub for a cluster of creative businesses known as 'Silicon Stoke'.

He said: "After suffering the impact of the pandemic and the way this has effected the world of work and events, these new plans show we are ready to adapt and prosper in the face of these challenges and find opportunities.

"As the world of work changes to embrace working from home, it is increasingly likely that smaller 'hot-desking' offices based around managed break out spaces and events facilities will become the norm, as will clusters of collaborating businesses centred around cultural focal points like Spode Works.

"The activity we are seeing in and around Stoke town suggests to us that the 'Silicon Stoke' cluster could double or even treble in size within the next 12 months."

I-creation and Megan Rose Design will move onto the site once work on the new studios has been completed in late spring.

They will join Popcorn Learning Media and a number of other media and tech businesses which already use the facility.

The new pre-lets mean that all the available space within the Potbank scheme is now either occupied or under contract.

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I-creation has chosen to move to Spode Works to provide flexible 'hot-desking' space and client meeting facilities for its 12-strong team.

Andy Jackon, of i-creation, said: "We've disposed of 3,500 sq ft of traditional office space during the pandemic and increased productivity with significant investment in home offices and IT for all the team.

"We're committed to providing new ways of working, and we've proved that flexible working from home has had a huge positive effect on our team’s work-life balance. There's no need to fundamentally change that.

"But we are growing quickly again, with new customers in the manufacturing, automotive, sustainable energy and transport sectors. That means we need different spaces to suit the business's needs.

"The Spode site is fast becoming a hub for exciting creative businesses and the creative sector will lead Stoke-on-Trent to strengthen the city’s position as a digital dynamo.

"I-creation's activity and client base is an important part of cementing that reputation."

Andy added: "We're excited about how the studio could fit into our office portfolio and provide opportunities for collaboration with other businesses on the site and in Stoke town, as well as building on our strong existing relationship with Staffordshire University."

Twenty two-year-old Megan Poxon has been running Megan Rose Design for about three years.

Megan said: "I have been looking around for places to base my studio and I am so excited to be able to move to Spode.

"I'm looking forward to being part of the thriving creative community which is already based on the site."