Fires Decimating Stoke-on-Trent’s Historical Architecture Highly Suspect

Many of us don’t believe in conspiracy theories, but we certainly know when something is suspect. The recent spate of fires destroying Stoke-on-Trent’s historical buildings certainly fall into the category of suspicious circumstances.

Let’s put these mysterious fires into perspective and in chronological order:

We had the fire at the Leopard Hotel (Circa 1765) in Burslem in January 2022 (pictured), which was devastating to our local heritage.

Then, we bore witness to the intense fire at the historical building housing the former Yates' Wine Lodge and former Sentinel offices on Trinity Street, Hanley, on Tuesday, 12 March 2024.

A severe fire severely damaged the four-storey, Grade II-listed former Wade Potteries on Westport Road, Burslem, in April 2025 (apparently arson).

In early September 2025, there were two fires targeting historic buildings on the exact same night. One was at a property on the historically exquisite Market Street in Longton, and the other was at the former Falcon Pottery on Old Town Road in Hanley.

The Hanley Triad and Beyond

Then we had the fire in July 2026 at the derelict NHS centre, which sits directly below a historical building on Stafford Street, Hanley, and just weeks later (August 2026), another serious fire broke out directly on Trinity Street at Trinity House (the building above the former Groove Castle nightclub). These recent fires occurred within the exact same triad of streets as the Yates’ fire (Stafford Street/Foundry Street/Trinity Street), ironically, opposite Hanley's focal point, ‘The Man of Fire’ (in situ on Stafford Street across from this architectural unit - pictured).

Intersecting the triad of streets named above, there are paths and alleyways where homeless drug addicts congregate (sometimes breaching the fencing). Therefore, my guess is that it is the homeless drug addicts (squatting) who are causing the majority of the fires. We can see the kind of mess and monkey dust-induced disturbances they cause in broad daylight. Imagine the wanton abandon which ensues within the walls of these empty buildings after dark.

This theory is supported by compelling circumstantial evidence from another Potteries town and another historical building, namely the Crown Hotel in Longton. Over the years, since the hotel became occupied by homeless drug addicts, several fires have ravaged this Victorian landmark on King Street (famously fictionalised as "Longshaw" by Arnold Bennett).

But why are these individuals allowed to get away with this wanton destruction of our historic buildings erected by our ancestors in extremely challenging working conditions? One suggestion is that the politicians know only too well that there is a solution to the homelessness and substance abuse blight plaguing our streets, but for some reason, they refuse to implement a remedy or discuss possible options. As a result, the fires continue unabated, putting the general public, along with fire service personnel, at risk.

Moreover, germane to the ASB (anti-social behaviour) disgrace as described above, the council daren’t say boo to the building owners (as in issuing large scale orders to force them to secure their properties).

Some would argue that inaction suits the powers that be, because they can then demolish fire-damaged historic buildings and avoid spending public funds restoring them to their former glory. Not forgetting, of course, that the recent fires and the accompanying public outcry have pressured Stoke-on-Trent City Council to declare a “heritage emergency” and assemble a dedicated anti-arson taskforce. Shouldn’t that include a separate taskforce to examine the link between arson, squatting, homelessness and drug addiction? On a national scale, half-baked initiatives regarding homelessness (recently announced by central government) will have no clout unless there is a change in legislation (to move the menace off the streets) coupled with the introduction of both voluntary and compulsory rehabilitation.

Back locally, who wants to make a wager that something will change because of an expensive bureaucratic taskforce inept council officials have cobbled together? It seems a safer bet to guess which one of our sitting duck historic buildings is next to be razed to the ground.