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Shoppers could soon be treading in the footsteps of Robbie Williams, Sir Stanley Matthews and Arnold Bennett when a Stoke-on-Trent version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame is unveiled.

Notable Potteries people from the world of sport, music, ceramics and literature are all set to be honoured with a new piece of public art – but with only a limited slots available competition will be tough.

Now Stokies are being asked to put forward suggestions for who they think should be included in the unique Hanley installation.

A short-list will then go to a public vote before the People’s Walk of Fame – made up of 10 pairs of bronze shoes – is created in Tontine Square early next year.

Artist Anna Francis, from Hanley’s Airspace Gallery has been commissioned by Stoke-on-Trent City Council to lead the project.

The 39-year-old said: “For me, a walk of fame should be something much more down to earth then the Hollywood version.

“I thought it would be great if we could install shoes so people could come and try them on and imagine themselves in the footsteps of people like Arnold Bennett and Robbie Williams.

“We are going across the city to gather names and then there will be a poll.

“Where possible we will be able to source the shoes of those people or get historically correct representations of them that visitors to Hanley can try on.

“As well as the names you might expect, we’ve had some people voting for good neighbours. We want to capture those stories.”

poll loading Who should be included on the Stoke-on-Trent Walk of Fame? 0+ VOTES SO FAR Robbie Williams Sir Stanley Matthews Josiah Wedgwood Clarice Cliff Captain Edward Smith Lemmy Arnold Bennett Emma Bridgewater Reginald Mitchell Gertie Gitana Jack Baskeyfield Someone else

Aside from voting for himself, market trader Michael Bailey hopes the short-list will reflect the area’s heritage.

The 42-year-old, from Biddulph, said: “I expect they will get the well-known figures such as Reginald Mitchell and Captain Smith.

“There’s a lot of famous people from Stoke-on-Trent and this is a good way of celebrating them so long as it doesn’t cost the taxpayer too much money.”

Jason Hurst, a part-time figure painter and model maker, gave one of the more obscure nominations.

The 46-year-old, from Weston Coyney, said: “The name I’ve put forward is Captain Joseph Colquitt who took part in the American Civil War. It’s one of my interests and he is from Stoke.

“This a good initiative because it promotes Stoke-on-Trent.

“Everyone forgets we have a lot of history before the pots and I think that needs to be highlighted.”

A group from Airspace Gallery will be taking suggestions at Stoke Indoor Market on Wednesday; at Fenton Market on Thursday; Tunstall Indoor Market on Friday and at Burslem’s Swan Square on Saturday.

The short-list will then be voted for at Hanley Market on October 17 from 10am to 4pm.