Elevate Legal, part of Excello Law’s house of brands, has advised Duchess China on a seven-figure investment from Open to Ideas, securing the future of one of the UK’s last historic Fine Bone China manufacturers.
The transaction was led by Dominic Hollingsworth, partner at Elevate Legal, a boutique corporate and commercial law firm in the South West. Dominic acted for Duchess China throughout the investment.
The deal was covered by the BBC on 5 October 2026.
A 138-year-old heritage brand
Duchess China has been producing Fine Bone China in Stoke-on-Trent since 1888. Every piece is made by hand at its Longton factory by skilled craftspeople, and the business currently employs around 60 people.
Open to Ideas, a company set up to back British businesses, has invested in the firm with the aim of protecting jobs and supporting the brand’s long-term future. Existing directors Jason Simms and Andy Tooth will continue to lead the business.
Speaking to the BBC, Open to Ideas CEO Rob Ward said the investment was designed to support the people, skills and manufacturing capability in Stoke, and to help take Duchess China’s Fine Bone China to new markets around the world. Jason Simms described it as an “incredibly exciting moment” for the brand and an opportunity to build on what the business has already achieved.
Navigating a challenging sector
The investment comes at a difficult time for UK ceramics. Surging energy costs and international competition have put pressure on manufacturers, and Royal Stafford and Moorcroft both collapsed last year, although Moorcroft was later rescued. The government has since announced a £120m support package for the sector.
Against that backdrop, Rob Ward was clear about the intent behind the deal: “We are not here to make a return, we want to build for decades and beyond.”
Dominic Hollingsworth’s role
Dominic is an experienced South West-based corporate solicitor with over 25 years’ experience. He has advised on a wide range of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, MBOs and private equity and venture capital investments, both in the UK and cross-border.
For Duchess China, that experience meant guiding the business and its directors through an investment that needed to protect the company’s heritage, its workforce and its independence of leadership, while giving the new investor the confidence to back the business for the long term.
Dominic said: “Duchess China is a remarkable business with a heritage that goes back well over a century. It was a privilege to support the directors through this investment, and I’m delighted that the brand, its people and its craftsmanship now have a secure future.”
