Knock Off Nigels: I went to the new bargain shop that has gone viral online - they have their own door staff to greet you
Thousands of people have descended on Barnsley to visit a discount store which has gone viral.
Knock Off Nigels is run by the same entrepreneur, Adam Casper, who has previously run discount brand stores across West Yorkshire.
Our reporter Sophie Mei Lan stumbled on ‘Knock Off Nigels’ when she was visiting Barnsley for their first Christmas Market.
When jumping off the bus or train in Barnsley and heading into the town centre you’ll find yourself walking along Eldon Street.
Eldon Street has historically been a ‘gateway’ to Barnsley town centre with much focus on reviving the much loved gem.
Opposite the bus station, Parkway Cinema is still going strong, a short walk down the street and the Barnsley Civic has a stunning new Victorian entrance which opened last year and then the former Harral’s Ring Shop has become a stylish bar. On the other side of the road on the cusp of the main pedestrian area of the town centre is a new shop called Knock Off Nigels.
This discount store only opened a few months ago, in the former AJM store, but it has quickly captivated people’s attention online.
As soon as you enter you’re greeted by a door person and offered a basket. I didn’t think I needed a basket as I was just having a look around this two storey shop to see what the fuss was about.
Knock Off Nigels sells everything from homeware to clothes, stationery and candles. There were so many items to choose from, so I ended up needing a basket.
They have door people greeting you in
There was nothing I needed but lots of bargains I decided I wanted.
I overheard fellow shoppers talking about travelling to Barnsley just to visit this store they’d seen online.
There was a real buzz in the store, it was down-to-earth and working class. While it was cheap and cheerful, it's the customer service you’d expect and don’t often get in a high end store.
In a world where luxury branding seems everything, it's great to see a tongue-in-cheek shop such as Knock Off Nigels do so well with people of all ages proudly grabbing a bargain.
Barnsley town centre had already become one of my favourite places to shop.
The undercover Glassworks offers a stunning walk through shopping centre with some of the bigger chains being located here. Then there’s Barnsley Indoor Market where you can shop independently. You can buy everything from instagrammable desserts from Dolly’s Desserts upstairs in Market Kitchen to discounted sweets and treats downstairs, not to mention browsing the affordable underwear on from Pat’s for Pants.
There’s also outdoor stalls too as well as a range of trendy new eateries such as Urban Burger alongside legendary fish and chip shops such as Mermaid’s and Mother Hubbards.
Barnsley town centre has got such a diverse mix of shops, eateries and a stunning library, all in such a small space - I think it’s one of the best places to shop in Yorkshire.