Demise of North Lands Creative and Nazeing Glass Works

Sadly, two more glass centres in the UK have ceased trading recently. The internationally renowned North Lands Creative, in Caithness, Scotland, and the Nazeing Glass Works on the border between Hertfordshire and Essex, England, have both shut their doors.

North Lands Creative announced in July 2023 that it was postponing its Summer Programme of glass courses. However, staff were surprised to be told on 31 July that the centre had “ceased trading”. North Lands’ chair Carolyn Jones broke the news to the three full-time and three part-time staff, who were advised that they had all lost their positions and should go home immediately.

North Lands Creative was a unique studio organisation and gallery located in Lybster, which focused on contemporary glass and developing glass in the UK. Through the Alastair Pilkington Studio and Gallery, it facilitated and supported professional artists to make artwork. It also ran a programme of talks, events and education activities around the studio and gallery.

CGS chair, Susan Purser Hope commented, “North Lands has always been somewhere that seemed rather mystical. In almost every one of our Wednesday talks, the artist featured described the huge impact that North Lands had on the development of their work.”

Nazeing Glass Works

Established in 1928, Nazeing Glass Works was one of the longest surviving glass manufacturers in the UK until it closed its doors at the end of August 2023. It could identify itself in glass manufacturing history back to 1612 in Vauxhall. The company made industrial and commercial glassware for the UK, as well as exporting to customers in Europe, Scandinavia, Asia and Australia.

Speaking about the family-run business, Samantha Pollock-Hill, said the firm originally made light bulbs at the Nazeing site. “My father-in-law set up Nazeing Glass Works and my husband (now 75 years old) worked in the factory from 11 years old. It has sustained thanks to the incredible team at Nazeing Glass Works: our family, our managing director, Sean Full, our chief of administration Kay, our factory manager, Mick, the incredible craftsmen Michael, Mac, Lenny, John, David, Dave, and the packing department, Claire and Jeremy.”

The team have been selling off the glass stock. Everything must go and there are just a few days left to view and buy. Anyone interested should email Samantha on sami@homewood-bb.co.uk or phone her on 01438 812105 and state that you are calling regarding the Nazeing Glass Works Museum Sale.

Nazeing Glass Works is at Nazeing New Road, Broxbourne, Herts, EN10 6SU.

Main image: The sun goes down on North Lands Creative.