🧢 One of the top 40 things to do in the UK right now
A visit to Stoke is one of the 40 best things to do in the UK right now. The Potteries made it into another listing this month - with Time Out encouraging visitors to “throw (themselves) into ceramic history. In another boost for Stoke-on-Trent in the year which marks its 100th as a city, it stood alongside the likes of Glastonbury, dining in London’s best restaurants, Stonehenge, the Jurassic Coast, and Edinburgh Fringe. Further details can be found at No.14.
🧢 Dracula, and Derby - 101 years and COUNTing
An exhibition entitled Dracula Returns to Derby - 101 years and Counting has opened at Pickford’s House in Derby. On May 15th 1924, the world premiere of Dracula took place at the city’s Grand Theatre. Produced by Hamilton Deane, this adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula became the blueprint for The Count as we know them today, a character portrayed by Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee, and a wealth of performers across stage and screen. Regularly included in the most important fictitious characters of all time, the exhibition offers visitors to Derby’s a chance to discover its close links with the world’s most famous vampire, which include Deane’s original adaptation, and Bela Lugosi’s performance at Derby Hippodrome. The exhibition includes objects on loan from Dacre Stoker, The Dracula Society and The Hammer Script Archive spanning 100 years of Dracula in Derby, a must see for fans of the macabre and Vampire enthusiasts.
🧢 This week’s ‘Top Pick’ @WeightmanPR: The British Ceramics Biennial
The British Ceramics Biennial (BCB) has launched the full programme for its ninth edition, taking place from 6 September to 19 October 2025, with six weeks of free exhibitions, screenings, talks and events dispersed across the former Spode factory site in the heart of Stoke-on-Trent. Hot on the heels of Stoke-on-Trent being named a World Craft City, and in the year that the city celebrates its centenary, the 2025 BCB spotlights leading international contemporary ceramic artists and introduces fresh new talent through new commissions and partnerships, drawing on Stoke-on-Trent’s industrial heritage and creative spirit.
🧢 Opening at the end of July, in Derby: The Engine Room
The Engine Room, a new casual dining restaurant and bar in The Holiday Inn in Derby, is set to open its doors on Monday 21 July. Situated on Morledge, by the River Derwent, this new £2m facility will blend industrial heritage with contemporary style. The menu is centred around small plates, sharing platters, grilled meats and fish, and wood-fired pizzas. Drawing inspiration from Derby’s engineering and rail history, The Engine Room’s design features exposed brick and beams, brass accents, and mechanical details that evoke the spirit of innovation. Its bar will feature carefully curated selection of craft cocktails, fine wines, and local beers.