PHPS - Providing an essential Cultural & Commercial Ecosystem for Stoke-on-Trent.

Through an eco-system of connected groups, initiatives, collaborations, partnerships and innovations, PHPS leaves few stones unturned in their pursuit to provide new opportunities for people and businesses.

At a Glance

Location: Based King Street Studios in Newcastle Under Lyme, working locally, nationally & internationally.

What they do: PH Production Services (PHPS) is a national and international, production company that delivers large scale events, conferences and associated services, as well as full design, production, operation and management of theatrical performances, live shows and music, outdoor events, exhibitions, community and spiritual festivals.

History: PHPS was founded by Pete Herbert in 2001 after a 15 year career in technical production in the theatre and entertainment sector. Now employing 11 full time staff, PHPS is a team of exceptionally talented and technical experts, who are focussed on delivering their commercial projects and filling the gaps for community events, festivals, awards and performances that attract local residents and visitors to the high street.

Highlights:

• PHPS has a strong desire to raise the profile of the city and its high streets, PHPS has created a range of events and initiatives that are building skills, jobs and commercial opportunities within the entertainment, technical and third sectors.

• Collaborated to deliver The Party in the Park for the People’s Parade celebrating the Stoke-on-Trent Centenary which attracted over 17,000 visitors to the city centre & high street to celebrate 100 years since the city designation.

• PHPS supported local arts organisation, Letting in the Light, to install a series of artist designed flags as street décor across the area which will have been seen by over 10,000 people since installation in July 2025.

• Delivered The ‘Confidence Live Conference’ at The Victoria Hall, an event focussed on diversity, accessibility and community which attracted 600 visitors to the city centre across two days.

• Champions emerging artists including the Honey Box initiative which is a monthly live stream broadcast to help emerging artists access new audiences

• Founded & deliver the Connects Network which provides informal, cross sector business networking in the heart of the city centre and high street from Smithfield Works. Monthly networking events regularly attract more than 20 businesses who support and do business with each other, creating a positive impact for local economy, confidence and jobs.

The Story

Based in Stoke-on-Trent, PHPS leverages the skills, experience and knowledge gained through the commercial side of the business and ensures that their local work benefits and catalyses grassroots activation across the local community and the high street.

Through an eco-system of connected groups, initiatives, collaborations, partnerships and innovations, PHPS leaves few stones unturned in their pursuit to: provide new opportunities for people and businesses; create vibrant activation for high streets and communities; develop exciting partnerships with businesses to network and connect, as well as offer crucial work and experiences for young people, musicians and artists to find and build their next career steps. With a deep commitment to be a supporter and partner to creative and community organisations in the city, PHPS has played a particularly significant role in local high streets over the last 12 months, as part of the centenary celebrations. Their innovative and collaborative approach to projects means that PHPS are the catalyst for the kind of crucial, grassroots activation, which includes festivals, events & live music, so instrumental in helping halt decline and develop renewal in the high street.

Celebrating nearly 25 years in business, PHPS was founded by Pete Herbert in 2001 after a 15 year career in technical production in the theatre and entertainment sector. Now employing 11 full time staff, PHPS is a team of exceptionally talented and technical experts, who are focussed on delivering their commercial projects and filling the gaps for community events, festivals, awards and performances that attract local residents and visitors to the high street. With a strong desire to raise the profile of the city and its high streets, PHPS has created a range of events and initiatives that are building skills, jobs and commercial opportunities within the entertainment, technical and third sectors.

These include PH in the Community which champions emerging artists; Honey Box which is a monthly live stream broadcast to help emerging artists access new audiences and the Connects Network which provides informal, cross sector business networking in the heart of the city centre and high street from Smithfield Works. These monthly networking events regularly attract more than 20 businesses who support and do business with each other, creating a positive impact for local economy, confidence and jobs. In addition, PHPS also run the Staffordshire & Cheshire Music Awards which are having a direct & positive impact on the long-term cultural infrastructure of the city by spotlighting talent, providing opportunities and inviting industry professionals to witness the rising profile of Stoke-on Trent as a whole.

Over the last 12 months, PHPS have been involved in a wide range of events, festivals and broadcasts that have all created a vibrant welcome to visitors to the high street. These included The Party in the Park for the People’s Parade celebrating the Stoke-on-Trent Centenary which attracted over 17,000 visitors to the city centre & high street to celebrate 100 years since the city designation. The ‘Confidence Live Conference’ at The Victoria Hall was an event focussed on diversity, accessibility and community and attracted 600 visitors to the city centre across two days. Adding more positive impact to the city, PHPS also supported local arts organisation, Letting in the Light, to install a series of artist designed flags as street décor across the area which will have been seen by over 10,000 people since installation in July 2025.

One of the highlights of the Centenary year for the City Centre high street was delivered in collaboration with PHPS. The Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID’s 100 Faces mural was an innovative project designed to grow pride and raise confidence in the city centre & welcomed 300 people and dignitaries to the city centre for the launch event and has been enjoyed a subsequent 15,000 visitors to the high street since. All these examples from the last year demonstrate an innovative and creative way of working which centres around a wide range of collaborators as is often the the key to PHPS’s delivery.

Partners include Stoke Creates, Appetite, Smithfield Works, the city centre BID team, Victoria Hall, We Are Staffs, Arts Council England, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Middleport Matters, New Vic Theatre and many more. In total, PHPS has been instrumental in delivering events that have welcomed over 75,000 people to the city and the high street in the last year alone.

The significant positive impact created and supported by PHPS, ripples across the wider community, actively supporting local businesses, from nearby hospitality venues to local artists, experts, students, young musicians, technical support freelancers and cultural locations who are so often included in projects and programmes. This best practice approach is also backed up by national research, for example in a report by the FSB in 2024, 57% of those high streets asked, said that a diverse range of offer is crucial to a thriving high street and 45% said that establishing new cultural events posed the biggest opportunity for high street success. Both of these examples underpin the very ethos of PHPS. Always with ‘the kettle on’ and open to helping or signposting organisations or individuals who are looking to develop a career, event or experience, Pete and his team at PHPS have built high street impact into all areas of their work.

Impact Data

• PHPS has been instrumental in delivering events that have welcomed over 75,000 people to the city and the high street in the last year.

• Collaborates with multiple agencies & arts organisations across the city.

• PHPS are the catalyst for the kind of crucial, grassroots activation, which includes festivals, events & live music, so instrumental in helping halt decline and develop renewal in the high street.

• Provide essential opportunities for young people, emerging artists & musicians.

• PHPS run the Staffordshire & Cheshire Music Awards which have a direct & positive impact on the long-term cultural infrastructure of the city by spotlighting talent, providing opportunities and inviting industry professionals to witness the rising profile of Stoke-on Trent as a whole.