AS the Evening News celebrates its birthday this week, we take the opportunity on today's business page to revisit the oldest company in Worcester.

Royal Worcester Porcelain last year celebrated 250 years in business and is the oldest continuous producer of porcelain in Britain.

THE Worcester Porcelain Manufactory, as it was first known, was established on June 4, 1751, by Dr John Wall and 14 business partners.

The factory, at Warmstry House, on the banks of the River Severn, expanded rapidly and by the 1760s had gained an enviable reputation for high-quality tea and dessert wares.

Eighteenth Century Worcester porcelain was used in the most fashionable circles, which ensured its success, and in 1789, the first Royal warrant was awarded by King George III.

By the early 19th Century, two new porcelain factories, Grainger and Chamberlain, had been established in Worcester by former employees of the original works, which by then was owned by Flight & Barr.

The Regency period was dominated by the extravagant tastes of the landed gentry, who ordered glamorous table ware, richly painted with armorials, landscapes, shells, flowers and feathers.

The Prince Regent ordered at least 10 extensive services from the Worcester factories.

A great strength of the Worcester factories was their ability to adapt to changing ideas and tastes.

The 1840s saw the closure of many English firms, but Chamberlain and Flight, Barr & Barr merged to produce new and diverse products, which appealed to increasingly wealthy industrialists and professionals.

The second half of the 19th Century saw the production of almost every type of object in every possible style, from large exhibition pieces, wall brackets, figures and china plaques to candle snuffers, jewellery, clocks and decorative vases.

The Worcester Royal Porcelain Company was formed in 1862 and was at the forefront of design and technology. It maintained a standard of excellence that is still admired throughout the world.

In the 20th Century, Royal Worcester Porcelain has led the industry with the introduction of limited edition plates and complex bone china models of birds, horses, flowers and figures.

Casual

A gradual move from formal dining towards more casual and cosmopolitan cuisine was anticipated with the development of oven-to-table ware in the 1930s.

Bone china figurines and collectable items such as coasters, coddlers, wall plates and commemorative items continue the traditions of fine quality and good design today.

Royal Worcester Porcelain is the oldest continuous producer of porcelain in Britain.

An ability to adapt to changes in lifestyle - demonstrated with the launch of the Jamie Oliver range of cookware in July last year - and changes in technology are strengths the company prides itself on.

Along with good design and exceptional quality, they have helped the company to survive, and thrive, for more than 250 years.