NEWCASTLE-under-Lyme’s rich cultural heritage is enjoying the spotlight this week as Belong Heritage Gallery celebrates Heritage Open Days with a programme of events designed to inspire for the nation’s largest community-led festival of local history.
Jewel in the week’s crown is the Staffordshire oatcake baking session in Sammy Bell’s Tea Room, which has been seeing the community rustling up the Stokie delicacy resembling pancakes, known by affectionate monikers including the ‘Potteries Poppadom’, ‘Tunstall Tortilla’ and even the ‘Clay Suzette’.
The tea room, forming part of the local landmark gallery integrated with dementia specialist care village, Belong, has been welcoming guests through its doors for the annual gala to take part in a variety of workshops paying homage to the area, including ceramics tutorials, Staffordshire film screenings, and informative talks.
Meanwhile, personal tours of the gallery, housed in Newcastle-under-Lyme’s oldest building dating from the 17th century, have been underway. Once the town’s only pottery and known to many as the former popular nightclub Maxims, today it documents the area’s history, arts, and culture through exhibitions, including a circus experience inspired by Philip Astley.
The site includes spaces including Sammy Bell’s Tea Room and the Old Pomona Inn, as well as a Maxims nightclub display, creative studio and reminiscence lounge.
Also open are the village’s bistro with dementia-friendly courtyard and gardens, the latter refreshed last year with the help of young adults volunteering their skills to add ponds, a kitchen garden and even a mini seaside.
Belong Newcastle-under-Lyme tenant Eileen Allman is pictured whipping up a treat for Heritage Open Days.