Emma Bridgewater to cut staff hours

The move will see full-time staff working 80% of their usual hours

Pottery firm Emma Bridgewater is to cut staff hours as it faces pressure over rising costs and challenging trading conditions.

The firm said staff would see a temporary pay cut for eight weeks from 10 July, as it moves to 80% of usual working hours.

The GMB union, which is not recognised by the company said it had been approached by some staff concerned about their futures.

Changes will affect both full-time and part-time staff at the factory, the firm's warehouse and some support workers, a spokesperson for the firm said.

About 480 people work for Emma Bridgewater which has a factory on Lichfield Street, Stoke-on-Trent

About 480 people work at Emma Bridgewater, which began production in Stoke-on-Trent in 1985 and produces ceramics at its factory on Lichfield Street.

Mrs Bridgewater later told Desert Island Discs it felt "complete bonkers" at the time to do during a difficult time for British manufacturing but turned out successful.

• BBC Sounds: Designer Emma Bridgewater on Desert Island Discs oncreating a pottery business

The latest news comes just months after the company's huge effort to produce items to mark the coronation, which the a spokesperson said was "incredibly successful" and generated £1.5m in sales.

Its shops, cafe, decorating studio will stay open during the temporary scaling-back and deliveries and customer services for online customers were unaffected, a spokesperson for the firm.

In October, the firm said 30 positions at the firm were under threat due to challenging trading conditions, but the number was reduced to fewer than five redundancies in January.