A LOCAL artistic enterprise has expanded so much that it has outgrown its High Street premises.

Adam Campbell from Yat Pottery, which began life in Ross-on-Wye four years ago, explained that an opportunity has arisen enabling him to expand a property the family own at Symonds Yat in which to run the business from.

He added: “As part of this project we are re-imagining the use of an outbuilding by taking it down and creating an artist space. But to do that we are selling this building in the High Street, so that we can concentrate on creating a much larger and diverse range of services.

“We are the Campbells, I teach ceramics, my wife Gillian teaches painting, and our daughter Isabella is a glass artist.

“The high street in general is changing, but that’s no reflection on this town. This opportunity is enabling us to transfer the business to a much larger facility than we currently have in the centre of Ross-on-Wye, however we will still be an integral part of the local business community and will continue to work with charitable organisations in the area.

“The new venture will enable us to work with a wide range of people and of all ages. We do a lot of work with people who a differently abled.”

Nicknamed the tallest potter at six foot eight inches, Adam explained that he had worked in the film and television industry, on both sides of the camera including programmes like Chucklevision and films that included Harry Potter.

Adam joked that he was too tall to appear on The Great Pottery Throw Down, despite originally being asked to join the programme.

He added that he had been drawn to the Ross area since the 1970s, having been camping in the region on a regular basis over the decades.

“When we set up in Ross, we were more of a retail store, having run an art shop in Brighton and brought all the stock with us.

“However, we soon discovered that the retail side is not what people really wanted and quickly realised that people wanted to know how to create artistic things.

“We originally thought things would trundle along at a certain level, but soon found out that we were doing a lot more than had been planned. We’ve basically outgrown the space.

“Our throw and go on the pottery wheel has proved to been very popular with visitors and the Ross public as has taken the treasured moment tiles, a frozen moment in time, in which baby’s feet are a prominent feature as is dog paw prints.

At present Yat Pottery runs an art school, therapeutic art and pottery lessons and creative workshops.

Adam concluded: “While we may be closing the store in the High Street in due course, it does not mean we are shutting up shop. This could not be further from the truth as we are expanding, admittedly focusing more on tuition than we have previously been able.”