Huddersfield has a new secret weapon when it comes to attracting people into the town centre – charity shops.
Huddersfield town centre has no fewer than 14 charity shops with at least four opening in the last year alone.
The naysayers will complain that a burgeoning number of charity shops spells doom for the town centre but when you hit double figures suddenly any perceived negative becomes a positive.
Charity shops are no longer the dark, cramped and – let’s be honest, smelly – dumping grounds for stuff that really should have gone to the tip.
They are light, bright and spacious retail spaces that compete on looks with some of the best shops in town. And they are fun places to go and browse and boast some proper bargains too.
When a town centre has a lot of charity shops it can become a destination in its own right. It brings people in.
It’s a compelling reason to visit Huddersfield town centre, and we need as many of those as possible. And what do charity shoppers need after doing the rounds? A cuppa and a bite to eat and maybe something a little stronger to toast their latest purchase.
Charity shopping is a win-win for many reasons and more people love it – just look at the cool kids and influencers on TikTok for example.
Charity shoppers are a mixed bunch. For some it’s the thrill of the chase and finding a designer label without the designer price tag; for others it’s being part of a crusade against fast fashion and a way to recycle and re-use.
For others it’s a way to furnish a home on a budget and create a look that’s not been bought off the shelf.
Then there’s the ‘traders’ who want to make a few quid, maybe as a hobby for a bit of beer money or, more seriously, as a side hustle. If you know what you’re looking for there’s money to be made selling on the likes of eBay or Vinted.
For charities, the charity shop is a way to make money, of course, but they also provide a shop window – quite literally – to promote what they do to the wider public.
It’s a way to build loyalty and it’s a way for people to donate – and get something back. A win-win.
So what’s it like inside Huddersfield’s charity shops?
Huddersfield’s newest charity shop is the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice shop in New Street. Opened in August, it’s already up there with the best.
It’s the former Clinton Cards shop and it’s been completely refurbished inside. Like the Tardis, it’s much bigger inside than it looks from the outside.
Manager Megan James said: “We’ve had a great response from people and they love the layout of the shop and how bright it is.
“A lot of money has been spent on the refit and people say it doesn’t feel like a charity shop. They also say it smells different to a charity shop too!”
There’s a popular new and high end designer fashion rail with some big name labels. A brand new Gina Bacconi dress with a £120 price tag was on sale for just £20, for example.
At the back of the shop there’s furniture – including sofas and dining tables – meaning Forget Me Not has a bit of everything.
Megan and assistant Vanessa are also advocates for the charity.
Vanessa said: “Sometimes people come in but don’t really see which charity it is. We had a man come in the other day who wanted to buy something and asked what our best price was.
“Yes, we’re a retail business but we’re also a charity raising money for children with life-limiting illnesses.
“When we explained what we do, not only did he pay full price but he also made a donation too.”
While there are heart-warming moments, charity shops aren’t immune to the challenges of retail – such as shoplifting.
Megan said: “It’s heart-breaking that people steal from charity shops.”
Vanessa added: “Yes, let’s hope the people who steal from our shop never need to use our services.”
The Forget Me Not shop is still growing and developing and they’d love more volunteers.
A couple of doors down New Street is the RSPCA shop raising money for the Halifax, Huddersfield, Bradford & District Branch. It’s also huge inside and is many people’s favourite charity shop, specialising in fashion and vintage and retro items.
There’s lots of cabinets with some special items including two pairs of high-heeled Doc Marten shoes. They sell for about £130 online but here they’re just £45 a pair.
For boys who love their toys there’s a vintage robot and a Pacman machine. The robot could be worth about £40 online but you can buy it for £15 at the RSPCA.
Shop assistant Richard Taylor said the vintage stuff from the 70s and 80s is really popular, especially with students.
“We like to keep the prices reasonable so that people will come back,” he said.
Some people, however, have a bit of a gamble – and then come back for a refund when it doesn’t pay off.
“We have students who buy things to sell on and when they can’t sell them they bring them back, maybe a month later,” said Richard.
That’s not really in the spirit of giving but it’s another fact of charity shop life.
One of the shop’s unique features – and a best seller – is its Blind Date with a Book. It’s a lucky dip for bookworms.
One of the shop’s volunteers selects books and wraps them in brown paper, writing a brief taster about the subject matter on the front. The mystery book costs £1.50 and the excitement is getting a brilliant book you might not have chosen for yourself.
If you’re into books – and want something a bit specialist or niche – there’s nowhere better than rooting in the Oxfam shop on the opposite side of New Street.
All the staff in Huddersfield’s charity shops are friendly folk, none more so than those in the four charity shops at the top end of New Street near Primark.
Richard Walker, the manager at Headway, which opened in April, says Huddersfield’s charity shops are one big community.
“I go to all the other charity shops and we all help eachother. We’re not rivals,” he said.
You’ll always get a friendly welcome and a chat from Richard who said: “It’s all about customer service. Just give people a smile because you don’t know what’s going on in someone’s life. It can make all the difference.”
Richard had a career working in casinos but now he just loves charity shops. He agrees that Huddersfield’s charity shops are a big draw for the town centre.
“Customers definitely do the rounds and we even see the same people come in here four times a week,” he said. “They know if they don’t buy what they’ve seen today it won’t be here tomorrow.”
Down the road at Sense, assistant manager Janet Boynton says charity shops see the best and worst of people.
“I never believed people would steal from a charity shop and then there’s people who complain about the prices, asking why we’re charging so much when we’ve had things given but we have overheads and wages to pay.
“We had someone who bought a T-shirt for £1. He said he’d been watching it for a while and was delighted it had been reduced. ‘I will sell this on Vinted for a fiver,’ he said.
“But then we also have some amazing customers,” said Janet. “One day we had a lady come in and spend £73 and she couldn’t believe what she’d bought.
“Then we have a man who comes in and buys loads of trousers. We wondered what he was doing with them all but it turns out he’s giving them away at the mosque.”
As the saying goes, it takes all sorts to make a world – and you’ll see that every day in Huddersfield’s charity shops.
So which are Huddersfield’s 14 charity shops, I hear you ask? Well, I could have named them all but I’ll let you explore the town for yourself and send your answers on a postcard…
