Facilities notes for 2026 course participants

To stay up to date with the capital building works at the Leach Pottery visit our blog here.

Lunch Space

Throughout 2026, the Leach Pottery will continue work on our new Visitor Welcome Centre, break area, and the development and restorative works of the Museum. As a result, the museum and cottage will remain closed to the public for the majority of 2026.

We're delighted, however, to welcome participants into our newly opened Learning & Production Studios in early 2026, where all courses and workshops will take place.

Please note that there will be no on-site café or food facilities during this period, as the break area is still under construction. While we understand this is not ideal, we have arranged for one of the learning studios to be available daily from 12:30–1:30pm for Leach Pottery volunteers, staff and participants to use as a lunch space. Please note there isn’t access to a microwave or fridge but there is a kettle.

We appreciate your understanding during this exciting period of transformation and thank you for your patience as we continue to improve the Leach Pottery for future potters.

Food & Drinks in the Course Studios

Only lidded drinks are permitted to be consumed in the course studio. No food consumption in the studios is permitted.

Access

The Learning Studios are on the first floor of the new building. They can be accessed either by a staircase or the lift.

Bathrooms

On the ground floor of the new building there are several bathrooms including an accessible bathroom.

Parking

During the construction period, on-site parking at the Leach Pottery will be limited.

We will continue to offer accessible parking, though spaces will be reduced. Full details will be confirmed closer to your course date, but if you require an accessible parking space, please request this at the time of booking.

For all other participants, our existing off-site parking arrangement remains in place. Free parking is available for course participants at St John-in-the-Fields Church, a short walk from the pottery. Directions and details will be provided in your pre-course information.

Museum Collection

The Leach Pottery Museum will be closed for most of 2026 due to ongoing building works.

While we’ll miss being able to offer participants full access to the museum collection during this time, all of our courses remain deeply rooted in the story of the Leach Pottery and its impactful heritage.

To acknowledge this connection, each course will begin with a Pot Talk led by a member of the Learning & Participation team, featuring selected pieces from the museum archive, which will be on display in the course studios. This ensures that participants can still engage closely with the legacy and ethos of the Leach Pottery.

Leach Pottery Shop

In 2026 the Leach Pottery Shop will temporarily relocate to the ground floor of the new building. Although a slightly reduced display, the shop will be open for business as usual and course participants continue to receive 10% discount on shop purchases.