Britain's last luxury glassmaker in plea to save historic skills

FURNACE SWITCHED OFF AT 007 FAVOURITE

- By Chris Riches

THE UK's last in-house luxury cut crystal glassmaker - favoured by Downton Abbey and James Bond has urged Rachel Reeves not to smash centuries-old craft skills.

Daniel Craig used Cumbria Crystal's Grasmere Double Old Fashioned tumbler for his whisky in Casino Royale, while earlier 007 Pierce Brosnan and boss M (Dame Judi Dench) drank from its Windermere glasses in The World Is Not Enough.

Cumbria glassware also stars in Netflix's The Crown and ITV's Downton Abbey. But cut crystal glassmaking has now been put on the Heritage Crafts charity's list of critically endangered skills.

Just 10 full-time glass-cutters are left in Britain three of them at Cumbria Crystal.

The Ulverston firm of 22 staff has urged Chancellor Ms Reeves to help heritage crafts with energy costs, national insurance, the minimum wage or VAT amid fears the historic industry teeters on extinction.

Chief executive Chris Blade said bills had risen by 280% since November due to dearer energy.

Mr Blade, 61, added: "We supply to British embassies and consulates. We make for Downton Abbey, Bentley Motors, royalty...using traditional processes.