When you get married there are many, many decisions to make – venue, menu, flowers and favours, writes Sarah Newton
But one of the most enjoyable is wandering around your favourite department store, scanning items for your wedding list.
It’s like writing a letter to Santa, but for grown-ups.
When I got married back in 2002 we could have chosen anything from Waterford crystal glasses to Le Creuset cookware, but – like many couples – we chose a dinner service from Denby.
It felt like an investment in the future. More than just plates and dishes, it was destined to become the centrepiece of countless Sunday lunches, Christmas dinners and the everyday moments in between.
We chose Denby because it was more than just crockery. It was understated but classic, sturdy enough to use every day and – much like me – made in Derbyshire.
And that’s the thing about Denby pottery – it carries meaning far beyond its function.
Crafted in the county for more than 200 years, it represents traditional skill and the pride in making things properly.
And yet, here we are today, quietly watching it slip away. Manufacturing has stopped and more than 100 jobs have now been lost at the company which has been in business since 1809.
So far, more than 50,000 people have signed a petition, set up by some of the historic manufacturer’s former employees, calling for energy intensive relief (known as the ‘Supercharger’ scheme) to be applied to the ceramics industry.
That number – 50,000 – is vital. It shows there is still affection, still recognition of what’s at stake.
But it also raises an uncomfortable question: why hasn’t that support translated into a louder, more urgent national response?
Because we’ve seen what happens when people truly rally. When Alstom was under threat, Derby stood up.
When Derby County faced collapse, fans and the wider community came together, marched, made noise, refused to let something so deeply rooted in local identity disappear without a fight.
There was outrage, visibility, pressure and action.
But Denby? It feels like it’s being allowed to fade quietly into the background.
Maybe this is because it’s easier to overlook. It doesn’t command headlines in the same way as football clubs or major employers. It sits, quite literally, on our shelves – reliable and sturdy. But that quietness is exactly what makes it so important.
Denby represents a kind of British manufacturing that is increasingly rare: skilled, local, sustainable and proud of its heritage. It’s literally made from the Derbyshire clay beneath our feet, with more than 20 pairs of Derbyshire hands contributing to every single piece.
Losing Denby doesn’t just mean losing a brand. It means losing this craftsmanship and a tangible link to generations of makers. It means accepting that even our most enduring traditions can disappear.
And maybe that’s the real issue, we’ve normalised brands disappearing. We’ve become used to the idea that everything from Athena to Woolworths will eventually go under. That it’s inevitable. That nothing can be done.
But when people care loudly enough, things can change.
Those 50,000 signatures are a start, but they shouldn’t be the end. If we truly value what Denby represents – not just as a product, but as a piece of cultural and industrial heritage – then it deserves more than a quick online signature.
It deserves energy, a loud collective voice and a refusal to let it go without a fight.
Because one day, someone else will sit down to choose a dinner service for their wedding list.
And it would be a tragedy if Denby was no longer an option – not because people didn’t care, but because they didn’t care loudly enough.
At Penguin PR, we specialise in copywriting that connects, persuades, and drives action. Whether you’re just starting out building a brand, protecting a reputation, or leading a conversation, we’ll help you find the words that make people listen.
