So, it’s official. I’m a bit of a wanker. How do I know this? Because today, I ordered a decaf flat white with oat milk, and the woman behind the counter more or less confirmed it. She didn’t say it outright – it was more like a raised eyebrow and a “Oh, you’re one of those.” In fairness, she said it with a smile, and we both had a good laugh. Now, reading that back, I’m thinking yeah… it’s the “decaf” that really did it. Anyway, onto today’s blog.
I’m taking you back to Sunday, October 20th, for a date that honestly caught me by surprise. Yasmin and I had a pottery class booked that day – yes, pottery. About six weeks ago, she informed me that we’d be spending Sunday morning doing something she’d wanted to try for ages. Now, we love our date days, but I have to admit I wasn’t exactly buzzing about this one. The shooting range? Absolutely. That Cube experience? 100%. Pottery? Let’s just say the only reference I had in mind was Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze getting steamy over a pottery wheel in Ghost – maybe that’s why she booked it?
It didn’t take long, though, before I started looking forward to it. That is, until I heard it was happening at someone’s house. All I could picture was some damp outhouse, a couple of spinning wheels, and a very intense instructor teaching us to make… a mug. How wrong I was.
The place was called Stupots, in a little village called Rangeworthy just outside of Bristol. For anyone familiar with the area, that’s basically Yate. We had a two-hour taster session booked, so we set off bright and early for a 10:30 start in classic British weather – drizzle and cold. And here’s where I got my first hint this might actually be a great time: despite the miserable weather, when we pulled up to this beautiful house, Stu, the owner, was standing outside, waiting to welcome us and direct us around to the studio. It was one of those small touches that make a big difference. First impressions are everything, and immediately, I had a good feeling about this.
First Impressions: The Studio
When we rounded the corner to the studio, I was genuinely blown away. This wasn’t some dingy back shed – it was big but cozy, with plenty of space to hang coats, a warm atmosphere, and an impressive setup. Stu’s wife welcomed us in, got us settled, and directed us to the large central table. It probably seats 15, but our group was only about 10 people, so we had loads of space to spread out.
A few minutes later, Stu took the lead, seating himself at the front, ready to get us started. Now, this guy is a legend. He’s clearly a pro, but he’s got the kind of laid-back humor and a touch of self-deprecation that puts everyone at ease. Within minutes, we were all laughing, and I could tell this was going to be a fun two hours.
Getting Stuck In (and Covered in Clay)
I’d imagined we’d be watching him for ages before being allowed to try anything, but that couldn’t have been further from reality. Stu’s whole vibe was, “Get your hands in there, make a mess, don’t overthink it.” We were shaping clay from the start, turning small lumps into bowls, stretching those out, adding more clay, and making mistakes. Honestly, it was like being a kid again – getting covered in clay and not caring about the mess.
With Stu wandering around to help, correct, and add his dry sense of humor, you just relaxed and went for it. The best part? There was no pressure to make anything perfect. In fact, the little “mistakes” tended to make our pieces look even better.
Finally, in the last 40 minutes, it was time for the big challenge – making a vase. Stu demonstrated two types of vases we could try, and with the techniques we’d already picked up, we were off. By the end of the class, we’d each made four pieces, all lined up on a table for us to admire. I have to say, we were all pretty impressed!
As part of the class, you get to choose one piece to keep, included in the price, and you pick a color for it to be glazed in. You can pay a bit extra to keep more if you want – totally reasonable at £10 per piece.
A 10/10 Experience
I think you know you’re having a great time when the hours fly by without you realizing. The two hours were up in a blink, and the whole experience was easily a 10/10. If you’re looking for a unique date idea or even something fun to do on your own, I couldn’t recommend it enough. Yasmin scored big points for booking this one; it’s high up on our list of best dates, and I’d absolutely do it again.
For anyone needing more convincing, Stupots has over 800 five-star reviews on Google. So don’t just take my word for it – give it a go. You won’t regret it!
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