Redundant workers set up blue glass firm to keep heritage 'alive'

Workers behind a historic glassmaker that closed down due to rising costs have announced they will open a new service to help "keep the heritage" of glass blowing "alive".

Bristol Blue Glass, which produced specialist glassware for nearly four decades, closed in May due to rising costs and made its staff redundant.

The new company, Bristol Glassworks Ltd, will make blue glass but also other colours with with what it called modern designs.

Glassblower and codirector David Barry said after seeing the outpouring of support following the May closure, it was a "no-brainer" to get up and running again and that he "felt a sense of duty to bring blue glass back to Bristol".

"My business partner Nick and I were very keen to keep the heritage of glass blowing alive in Bristol, it's a dying trade. The tradition has been going for more then 300 years," Barry said.

"We were absolutely devastated when we were told we were being made redundant."

When Bristol Blue Glass closed, he said he saw it as "an opportunity to carry it on".

"I felt a sense of duty to bring blue glass back to Bristol," he said.

"The response to Bristol Blue glass closing down was so massive we thought well this is a no-brainer. The outpouring of support was huge."

Barry explained his new venture would be a more online focused business instead of a public-facing one.

"There's still a lot of work to do, but the relief of turning that furnace on - anyone in the industry will tell you - they live and breathe it, it's a way of life.

"For me, it felt like I had an limb amputated not being able to touch the hot glass and work with," Barry added.

Bristol Glassworks Ltd said a date had not been confirmed but it expected to open within the next few weeks.

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