Nearly three months after the statue of Motörhead frontman Ian Fraser 'Lemmy' Kilmister was unveiled in Burslem, businesses on Market Place say they have had customers visiting from all around the world. 

The Lemmy statue was unveiled to a huge crowd on 9 May and an encore event was held on Sunday (3 August) to bring heavy metal fans together once again whilst raising awareness for the next stage of the Lemmy Forever project. 

Now, IFK Legacy CIC have their eyes on the vacant Queen's Theatre, on Wedgwood Street, to be used as a permanent home for Lemmy's legacy featuring a cafe, museum and music studios. 

Meanwhile, overlooking the statue is Market Place Cafe where staff have become used to regular tourists coming for food and drink since the unveiling.

Emma Potts, who works at Market Place Cafe, said: "I've met people from all over the world who are coming in here.

"The impact has been really good. We are a lot busier now than before. We've had people from Canada, Germany, Austria - everywhere really. 

Inside Market Place Cafe in Burslem. (Nub News)

"Burslem has been really struggling and there are a lot of closed-down shops, like there is everywhere.

"So the town needs this, it is bringing it back to life again and it is nice to see. 

"So many people who were at Ozzy's concert in Birmingham last month made the trip to Stoke-on-Trent to come and pay their respects after. And everyone is so friendly it's really great." 

A few doors up on the newly nicknamed 'Lemmy Plaza' is Barewall Art Gallery which has been hosting an exhibition honouring the Burslem-born rock legend since his statue was unveiled. 

The crowds were so huge on 9 May that the team even hired security to ensure the gallery didn't become too packed and while Sunday's event was quieter, there were still hundreds of fans in attendance.

Paula Millward of Barewall Art Gallery explained that she regularly meets visiting rock fans who stop off in Burslem while on tours of England. 

Barewall Art Gallery on 9 May ahead of the statue unveiling.(Nub News)

Paula said: "Everything about it is just positive. The number of people who have been reached through his music is amazing.

"Of course there has been increased footfall but it is more than that - it's the inspiration.

"We've been here for 15 years now, we started in a recession and every now and again there are these gems which Stoke-on-Trent and Burslem has and the statue of Lemmy is that gem for 2025.

"With the plans for the Queen's Theatre as well, it looks like it is going to continue."

Jane Mountford, the landlady at Bursley Ale House had stocked up ahead of the encore event after Motörhead fans drank the pub dry at the unveiling in May.

Jane says that this is one of the busiest periods she's seen in the nine and a half years she's been running the pub and it means they now have busy days outside the regular football season.

Tourists have vitited the Bursley Ale House from around the world. (Nub News)

She said: "I think they should do something like this once a month. I have had people from all over the world. I was talking to a fantastic couple from Argentina the other day.

"There aren't many days now where we don't have someone coming in who is just visiting for the statue. The garden has been full for the second event and they are such nice people.

"We rely on football, especially if it is raining it is dead but this statue opening and the gatherings with it has made it so everyone is busy which is great."

So while tourists have visited the city for years due to the ceramics industry, the statue of Lemmy is giving people another reason to stop by.

You can find out more about the Lemmy Forever project here.