A newly-expanded shop celebrating all things Huddersfield is raising a smile with some of its unique Christmas gifts.

Handmade in Huddersfield moved to premises twice the size in the Imperial Arcade in September and takings have doubled.

The shop, run by Ant Gotts, sells handmade gifts from 57 crafters and artists all of whom have a HD postcode.

There’s silver jewellery to life-like wooden birds, comic hand-painted ducks to locally-grown plants, pots, purses and artwork.

There’s lots of items that raise a smile and a snigger – and it’s all done in the best possible taste.

There’s a cheeky mug with the slogan: “In Huddersfield we call our idiots ‘the Council.’” That’s proving a best seller with council workers quick to see the funny side.

There’s also a couple of ‘secret drawers’ which also have people in stitches. Labelled “Naughty Drawer – over 18s only”, the two drawers are packed with cheeky gifts. If you want to know what’s inside you’ll need to pop along yourself…

Handmade in Huddersfield opened in a small shop in the arcade a year ago with many saying it wouldn’t take off – but it has.

Ant said: “Takings have doubled since we moved to the new shop. At first I thought it was people just having a nosy but now people have started Christmas shopping and we are well up on last year.

“We have fitted in an extra 11 crafters and all our crafters have more space so there’s more for people to see.

“Having more than double the shop frontage gets us noticed. People have come in and said they never saw us before.”

Ant has opened a community workshop room in the back and has adopted the neglected garden opposite.

The garden has been cleared and some planting has taken place and Ant added: “The garden has made a big difference and made people stop and look around.

“Sometimes people walk down the arcade and in their mind they are not shopping until they reach New Street. Now they are seeing that there are some great shops in the arcade and that’s made all the difference.”

Ant’s ‘council’ mug first made an appearance a few years ago when he had a stall on Rawtenstall Market.

His Rosendale version of the mug hit the national papers when a councillor complained about it and he was ordered to remove it from sale at the council-run market.

Ant and other local traders couldn’t believe the council didn’t have a sense of humour and nearby shops stocked his mugs instead. The more the council complained, the more mugs were sold.

“It’s just a bit of fun,” said Ant. “It doesn’t name any council and it doesn’t say they are idiots, it says we call them idiots. It’s not targeted at anyone, it’s just to raise a smile.

“A binman came in and bought four of them for his colleagues and one of the councillors came in and she was laughing about it.”

The mug is designed by Ant and made by Squidpot in Crosland Moor.

Other best sellers in the shop include the handmade silver jewellery by Netherton-based Marion Gray and ceramic mugs made by Deirdre Warren in Upper Cumberworth.

There are also potted plants which are given names and tags with their ‘birthplace’ such as ‘Stuart’ an aloe humilis who was born in Dalton!

And Elvis the painted wooden duck is certainly a present for the rock ‘n’ roller who has everything…