Andy Hussey: My lasting memories.......

Here are my selected images which best represent my lasting impression of Stoke-on-Trent.
I had originally planned to create a visual timeline of my visit but instead decided to present images that best depict how I will always remember the area, whereas the names of people I met and conversations I had will eventually be forgotten over time I will always have mental images of the experience....
Click 'Read more' below to see the images.

'Harry's House'
Although the carpet was slightly damp and smelt a bit like wet dog a place to sleep is a place to sleep, but this small space was soon invaded by around forty drunk students partying till the sun came up with little chance of any rest.

'The light makes all the difference'
The buildings and streets of Hanley had a feeling of  neglect adding large amounts of character to the area. Every so often I would see a break in this 'bleakness'. This tower block suddenly appeared through a space where a building once stood and the evening sun lit it beautifully against the clear blue sky.

'Hanly'
Finding a cheeky whole in the fence of a disused building site allowed for a great overview of Hanly. From the top of a  huge mound of overgrown rubble which now resembles more of a nature reserve than a demolition site I was able to get a great 360o view of the area.

'Closed down and fenced off'
A more than familiar site in this area of Stoke. Countless derelict buildings have been boarded up, surrounded by fences  and simply left to deteriorate.

'It catches the eye'
Another derelict factory, this time in Burslem. This sort of  urban deterioration seems foreign to me living mostly in the south of England. Here in Stoke it is common place and it wasn't long before I started looking at the area in a different light and began to see the beauty in the aesthetics of buildings such as these.

'A taste of the past'
Although still famous for it pottery most of Stokes industrial history now resides in museums and negected building sites. In many areas of England places like these would be a national heritage site or a tourist attraction, but here, Stokes regeneration project is decades off with completion planned for 2030.