Pottery studio arrives at The Lawn

Lincoln’s Lawn complex, which is benefiting from a £2m revamp, has attracted another growing business.

Jemma Stimpson has decided the historic site, off the city’s Union Road, is the perfect new home for The Little Pottery Studio, which she has relocated from the Red Hall Manor House in Bracebridge Heath.

Her premises were leased by Lincoln-based chartered surveyor Banks Long & Co, which recently let another unit at The Lawn to the expanding wedding dress business Jaynes Bridalwear.

Jemma’s business is already highly popular with everyone from children through to retired people who love painting pottery, but she is hoping to attract the attention of tourists too in the future.

“We have a range of plain pottery, from vases, to plates and cups-and-saucers, and we encourage people to choose which “blanks” they would like to decorate,” said Jemma.

“We show them how to apply an underglaze paint and decorate their pieces using stamps and other techniques. Then they leave them with us to add the finishing glaze and fire.

“The pieces are fired and people return a few days later to collect their work. It’s always a magic moment, because you are never 100 per cent sure what they will look like after they come out of the kiln.”

Jemma said that her business had become increasingly busy over the past six months and she quickly outgrew her former premises.

“We are open from Mondays to Wednesdays and also at weekends, when we have had to turn people away, but now we have a 1,600 sq ft studio which will be better for us.

“I wanted somewhere central, so that we could also tap into Lincoln’s big tourist industry, but it also had to be big enough to take all our stock, kiln and equipment, which includes space for our potters’ wheels, because we are also planning to offer more ceramic classes in the future,” said Jemma.

“We have just put out details of our first ceramic course and it was filled within a matter of days.”

Banks Long & Co consultant Peter Banks said: “Stokes and ourselves were delighted to attract the Little Pottery Studio to The Lawn. The setting is ideal for creative and artisic businesses and the central location and extensive on site parking provide easy access for visitors. I believe Jemma will provide a real attraction in this location.”