Live updates

Welcome to our live updates to the Capital Project - our two-year transformation of the Leach Pottery. Here you will find weekly updates on our project, the building work and videos plus any potential disruption. Bookmark this page for regular updates. Find out more about the Capital Project.

14 May 2025

From concept to the latest construction milestone. The Learning and Production Centre is taking shape!

9 May 2025

A snippet of video from our St Ives site showing the roof going on to our Learning and Production Centre!

1 May 2025

Exciting times ahead! Leach Pottery Staff explored the site and marvelled at the new Learning and Production Centre.

29 April 2025

The sun is out and work continues on our new Learning and Production Centre in St Ives which opens later this year. Don’t forget we are still open!

28 March 2025

The latest activity on our St Ives site as work continues on the Learning and Production Centre and a new Cornish hedge!

15 March 2025

Some of the latest views of the building of our Learning and Production Centre which opens later this year!

The foundations are laid!

20 February 2025

Sewer improvement works and lane closure/traffic lights: There will be traffic management three-way lights on Penbeagle Lane/Higher Stennack from 22 February to allow urgent upgrade of South West Water's sewer under the new Learning and Production Centre to Higher Stennack. Work will commence from 22 February for several weeks. During this time there will be no parking on site.

19 February 2025

Work has begun on site to build our new Learning and Production Centre. Download the latest information on our latest community newsletter.

19 December 2024

Download our latest newsletter and find out more about what’s happening on our St Ives site over the next few months.

12 December 2024

Explore our new 3D model of the Learning and Production Centre now being built as part of the Leach Pottery’s two-year transformation. The new centre will house our pottery studio and learning centre and enable us employ more potters and offer more classes and workshops to our local community. Click and follow the image below to explore the centre in 3D.

12 November 2024

The foundations being laid for the Learning and Production Centre at our site on Higher Stennack, St Ives.

8 November 2024

Here’s the latest drawings from architect Dow Jones Architects for the new-look Leach Pottery! Work is underway on the Learning and Production Centre which opens next year and will host a range of workshops and activities for local people as well as our new production centre. Phase 2 of the plans start in 2025. See our interactive map for more details.

24 September 2024

Here’s a few images of the site as we start to create the foundations for our new Learning and Production Centre.

24 September 2024

Listen in to our director Libby Buckley chatting about the Leach Pottery and our plans for the future on Coast FM.

22 August 2024

We're hiring! Leach Pottery has received a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and we are advertising for a range of new roles across our museum, learning programme and beyond. Find out more about what roles we have and how to apply on our Work with Us page. Deadline for applications is 23 September 2024.

30 July 2024

We’re delighted to announce that we’ve been awarded £3,489,501 National Lottery funding by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to support our Capital Project. This ambitious project aims to preserve and enhance our internationally acclaimed Leach Pottery studios and museum.

We are one of six projects across the UK that have been awarded a share of £7.6m building the resilience of smaller museums in preserving and showcasing unique cultural heritage, improve accessibility and sustainability. Read more about the National Lottery Heritage Fund grants.

18 July 2024

View St Ives Town Deal’s documentary about their latest visit to the Leach Pottery.

15 July 2024

Cornwall Council Leader and St Ives Councillor Linda Taylor, portfolio holder for the economy Louis Gardner and the newly elected Chair of St Ives Town Deal Board Andrew Baragwanath visited Leach Pottery to see the progress of our Capital Project on Thursday.

8 July 2024

Read our latest update on building work happening on site. This includes driving up to 40 pilings to support the new building. The work is expected to take up to three weeks.

2 July 2024

Beagle Cross cottage and the old kiln sheds have now been demolished and rubble removed ready for the new foundations to be laid in the coming weeks for our new Learning and Production Centre.

26 June 2024

Work has begun dismantling our old kiln sheds. The temporary sheds have now been erected and will be used until the permanent kilns are built in autumn 2025.

20 June 2024

As many bits of the Beagle Cross cottage building will be recycled. Watch our video of the builders carefully dismantling the building and separating materials ready for recycling.

18 June 2024

Work has begun demolishing Beagle Cross cottage on the corner of Higher Stennack and Penbeagle Lane. The 1950s cottage is making way for the new Learning and Production Centre. Much of the interior fixtures and materials have been recycled by the local community. Our museum, shop and gallery remain open and unaffected.

28 May 2024

Click on the red balloons below on our interactive map to find out what’s happening where with our two-year Capital Project.

24 May

Going…Going…Gone! Contractors Classic Builders demolished the old garage that sat on the corner of the Tinners Way and Penbeagle Lane. The site has been cleared and the area will now be used as a temporary base for contractors on the Capital Project.

21 May

Our contractors have taken over the footpath and grass verge around Beagle Cross and diverting pedestrians to cross the road by the fire station. The bus stop currently outside Beagle Cross will also be moved temporarily. See the plan below for more detail. The footpath is expected to reopen in August 2024.

20 May

Our studio potters continue work on the kiln in our temporary kiln shed. The kiln is now ready to fire up and our old 2009 kiln sheds will be dismantled as part of our ongoing Capital Project.

9 May

We have a lot of work happening this week - including firing up of our temporary kilns. Download our new Spring Newsletter to find out more about what’s happening in the coming months… And remember we are still open!

2 May

This week
Our team of talented studio potters continue working on the kiln shed, today it’s welding.

29 April

This week

Take a look at our studio potters working on a new temporary kiln as part of our ongoing improvements. The temporary kiln shed will allow our potters to continue to work while a new Learning and Production Centre is built.

22 April

This week

Our studio potters are hoping to begin work building the kilns inside our new temporary kiln shed. The kiln will be used until autumn 2025 as we work on building the new studio.

8 April

This week

Work continues to get our temporary kiln shed ready for the installation of new temporary kilns which will be built by our studio potters.

1 April 2024

This week

There’s likely to be a bit of coming and going on the St Ives site during the week as the contractors make use of the good weather. Roofers are in to add a roof to the temporary kiln shed, and work is underway to clear the area of some of the debris. Our Museum, Shop, and Gallery remain open!

25 March 2024
This week

Work continues on our temporary kiln shed with carpenters adding the walls ahead of the new temporary kiln being built in April.

15 March 2024

This week

Scaffolders arrived on the site to put up scaffolding around the foundations new temporary kiln shed. The kiln shed is now being built ready for the new temporary kiln, which will be in use from May 2024 until Autumn 2025.

9 March 2024

This week

An area of the car park has been cleared to make way for our temporary kiln shed. The foundations were laid over a few hours on Thursday, and we hope to start building the walls in the coming week. Pop back for regular updates.