THE POOLE Pottery shop on the town's quay will finally stop trading this weekend, spelling the end of an association stretching back more than 140 years.

While production of the iconic pottery, which started in Poole in 1873, may have moved to Stoke a decade ago - supporters always believed some presence would remain locally.

However, following months of discussions between pottery owners Denby Holdings and the landlord of the Poole Quay building, the announcement was made earlier this year to cease trading on the quay.

The Poole store and studio, which draws thousands of visitors to the quayside each week, is set to open for the last time on Sunday.

This is despite campaigners handed in a petition with almost 3,500 signatures calling for the pottery shop to be saved.

Susan Smith, from Poole Pottery Collectors Club, launched the petition.

She called for the Borough of Poole (BOP) to step in and help find an alternative premises for the business in the town.

Susan said: "If Poole Pottery goes it will affect the whole town, the town of Poole needs to get behind this."

BOP's culture and learning portfolio holder Cllr Mohan Iyengar told the Echo he'd met representatives from Denby Holdings on a number of occasions in a bid to broker some sort of deal that could keep them in Poole.

In September Cllr Iyengar said: "We will try to keep all the business, or part of the business, in that building or some other premises."

To date, no announcement has been made.

Meanwhile, the last statement by Gary Capell - retail director of Denby Holdings - was: "We continue to look for other suitable sites within Poole given the close association that the brand has had with the town, but at this time no agreements have been reached."

The Poole Pottery shop will open on Poole Quay for the last time on Sunday, October 15, from 10am-4pm.