Leading Marketing Agency Relocates to Stoke-on-Trent’s Creative Hub at Iconic Former Spode Site
10 months ago
Lesniak Swann team have expanded its offices and joined forces with Stoke-on-Trent’s former Spode site
A leading B2B marketing agency has joined the expanding Spode site creative cluster in Stoke-on-Trent.
Lesniak Swann has joined the growing community and moved into new, larger office paces at the historic former Spode site in the northern city. The specialist marketing and PR agency team will be surrounded by a cluster of creatives in the offices, which have become a growing hub for creative businesses.
The agency has had a number of major international client wins this year, so it was vital that the team found a larger premises to work out of. The refurbished heritage building at Spode has proved a perfect fit for the creatives at Lesniak Swann- they are located perfectly within a group of established and startup creative businesses, which has now been dubbed the “createch” community.
Createch businesses specialise in selling creative services, with a specific focus on how new and emerging technology can be used to do work most efficiently. And this community provides over 150 well-paid jobs and bring a combined £10 million to Stoke-on-Trent in terms of direct revenue and business for local suppliers.
The new office is a former workshop for the famous Spode brand that would have housed pottery industry creatives such as throwers, designers and painters. It was recently renovated as part of a project led by Stoke-on-Trent City Council that is creating modern, digitally enhanced enterprise spaces for growing local businesses and start-ups with further space on the Spode site as well as Swann House in Stoke and Longton Town Hall.
Alex Swann, managing director of Lesniak Swann, commented: “We’ve been located in Stoke for over twenty years; our first offices were in an old tyre garage next to a pub just up the road from Spode. We’re excited to be based in a cluster of like-minded but complementary businesses that has a real sense of momentum behind it – I know for a fact there is a waiting list for office space in other parts of the site.
“The move will support our continued growth in a number of ways, not only because we’d be near to a decent hostelry again. Being based close to our peers means easier collaboration to share best practice. It’s also hugely important to attracting and keeping the great talent coming out of both Staffordshire and Keele universities as graduates can see there is a clear route to finding a well-paid creative job locally within a support network of businesses.
“Crucially, all of the createch businesses work with big brands here in the UK and further afield, so talented people don’t have to look outside of the area to build an impressive CV right out of university.”
We’re excited to be based in a cluster of like-minded but complementary businesses that has a real sense of momentum behind it – I know for a fact there is a waiting list for office space in other parts of the site
Alex Swann
Councillor Duncan Walker, Cabinet Member for Planning, Climate Change and Regeneration at Stoke-on-Trent City Council added: “We welcome Lesniak Swann to the Spode site and are delighted to be able offer the high calibre facilities that local specialist businesses need to grow.
“The character and creativity of the past, combined with the latest technology is a fantastic offer to showcase the creative and digital talent of today. Our enterprise spaces are an exciting addition to the employment mix for the city, and at Spode mark the enormous potential of the site.
“With the wider site plans in development and a flourishing digital and creative community, we can attract and provide opportunities for the talent coming from our universities and colleges and retain these skills in the city.”
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