YAP 3 Stoke-on-Trent Part 1

Introduction

Some of you may be looking at this YAP and thinking why the hell has he decided to do a talk about Stoke, but for those who read this that do not know Stoke-on-Trent is the birthplace of yours truly and I believe that it gets a lot of slack from people who have actually never been there. There will be 3 parts to this YAP but they won't be consecutive they will be put in another time to at least keep things interesting, and well I've lived there for a long time so there would be a lot to talk about. In part 1 of this YAP, I will share my experience of revisiting what used to be Stokes hotspot for Shopping and leisure.

Home Sweet Home

Now I want you to imagine that I'm a French narrator, "ah Stoke-on-Trent a beautiful industrial landmark that is famous for the Potteries, Alton Towers and cold Tuesday nights". For most people who say they have been to Stoke, the chances are they have only driven through to get to somewhere else. Through maybe one bad experience of driving down a dodgy road or picking up a Mcdonald's in a rough area the majority of people automatically assume that it is a bad area. I'm not saying it's the best place in the world but it does have some great qualities that do not get enough credit. As previously mentioned I will be sharing my experience of visiting Hanley which used to be a thriving marketplace but now has left much to be desire.

The fall of the Pottery Shopping Centre

Hanley for me used to be a good day out, there used to be shop as far as the eye could see, markets stretching to the end of the streets and the main thing PEOPLE. But overtime I can really tell that Hanley has not aged very well, especially due to the impact of Covid-19. As you will see in a couple of the pictures taken mainly around the shopping centre so many stores have been closed and it has rather left the place empty, even the shops outside have closed simply because there's so little business compared to what there used to be. Of course, it's not completely derelict, shops like Primark, River Island, Lush and even Super Dry are there along with other brand leaders like JD Sports but a lot of what felt like a nice day out has ended up coming to complete avoidance of the place due to how rough it has become. Visiting today just felt sad knowing that things used to be different.

Night Out or Shite Out

Looking for a night out in Stoke isn't as much of a challenge as some may think, one of the many popular hotspots for most would come between Hanley and Newcastle. Since we are discussing Hanley it would be rude not to offer a few compliments for the nights out, to put it straight if you are after a cheap night it's the place to go. Other than Fiction which is the most expensive club there is a range of decent nightclubs that could tickle your fancy, if you are into indie rock music then the Sugar mill is for you it may seem a bit tatty but it's cheap and has weekly offers on like buy one get one free on drinks. Maybe you like a bit of a 70's 80's vibe then head to Reflex where you can groove to the top hits of the decades. If you are into something more bouji then Pink may be what you are looking for. If you are wondering where to start then look no further than the JD Wetherspoons which is only a 3-minute walk away from most of the clubs. In a general sense with having been clubbing in Stoke for 3 years, I can recommend that there are decent clubs in and around the area and if you ever end up stuck for things to do it's an opportunity that would be good to take.

Exclusivities that you may miss

However, you decide to spend your time in Stoke you may want to know that there is many attractions that can go unnoticed, for example if you are into pottery and design places like Emma Bridgewater, Ainsley, Wedgewood, Gladstone and Spode are some of the major industries that Stoke has to offer. If you are feeling a bit peckish you could cure that with one of our famous Oatcakes which by the way are pretty amazing. A trip to Alton Towers could also be on the cards for some people or even a splendid walk through Trentham Gardens, Stoke does have a lot to offer.

Conclusion to part 1

I understand that this has been a relatively shorter blog than usual but with there being so much to talk about I thought it would be better to keep it short and sweet as there is a lot more to Stoke than what meets the eye and with it being where I'm from it is a very important place to me. As for the other parts to this blog I will upload them as I visit, due to the fact that I do not live there at the moment. With the main discussion being on Hanley although this is a parted YAP there will still be a Vibe rating and in all honestly not to put the place down but Hanley gets a 5 out of 10, maybe I'm not doing my homeland justice here but with the impact of Covid and the decline in people visiting it's just not what it used to be. So for people who may be interested in coming to Stoke maybe give Hanley a miss unless you are interested in Pottery or a cheap night out as for the rest of Stoke that is yet to be concluded.

Thank you for reading!

Matthew

YAPVibe blogger