MARTIN Hopkins wants to bring back traditional making skills to the borough and create new jobs under the banner ‘Made in Barnsley’.

The fabric and textile specialist says he’s had enough of ‘pound shops’ and seeing empty retail units in the town centre and wants to give Barnsley a future by fusing digital and traditional skills to create fabric products that can be sold to the public.

Martin, a former illustrator, only uses materials made in the north for his products which include cushions, curtains, fashion wear and T-shirts.

He has been working with Barnsley College to launch the Made in Barnsley project and has been showcasing his work in the college’s shop on the Victorian Arcade for about five weeks.

Read more in this weeks Barnsley Chronicle