A FIRM that almost went out of business two years ago is enjoying a nostalgia boom.

And staff at B Authentic, hidden away in an anonymous warehouse on a Milnsbridge industrial estate, are now gearing up for a busy New Year.

The company is expecting a boom in fancy dress hire, despite the recession.

But it is the company’s huge hoard of genuine 1940s uniforms that is the big attraction in this Aladdin’s cave.

B Authentic, which has a huge range of genuine vintage uniforms, was founded 40 years ago in Cleckheaton by Nora Snowden.

Mrs Snowden was able to amass a collection of British, Soviet, American and German military uniforms from World War II, when such kit was flooding the market and was available for a pittance.

When Mrs Snowden sold the business two years ago to former model and TV extra John Whitworth, such gear had become considerably more desirable.

Now B Authentic, which employs four staff including manager Voirrey McDonald, is one of the North’s premier suppliers of 1940s clothing, for nostalgia events and also film and theatre companies.

Alongside the military outfits is a range of genuine period clothing dating back to the turn of the 20th century.

There is everything from a suffragette, all four Beatles during their Sgt Pepper phase and quality replica outfits from the middle ages to the Victorian era,

As well as fancy dress parties, B Authentic is regularly used by theatre companies, re-enactment groups and 1940s societies.

But the business nearly closed two year ago when Mrs Snowden’s late husband became ill.

Friends John, 64, from Longwood Edge, and Voirrey, 47, from Hebden Bridge, decided to take over B Authentic when the shop went up for sale.

The pair enjoyed dressing up for 1940s parties so much they chose to buy the business.

Voirrey says: “You get into the mode of dressing up. Once you’ve done it you have to do it again.

“If people bring in a picture of what they want to be we can try to get the look for them.”

So what’s popular at the moment?

Voirrey said: “It’s all 1960s to 1980s themed parties these days.

“Films like An Officer And A Gentleman and the Indiana Jones films are popular.

“New Year’s Eve is very important to us because it’s the main event of the year.

“Homburg’s in Leeds closed at the beginning of last year, so we’re probably the biggest costume shop in Yorkshire.”

And has the recession diminished people’s desire to dress up – or is fancy dress a good way to allay the credit crunch blues?

Voirrey said: “The recession has had an impact, but people are still prepared to spend money and have a good time to escape it; so it’s still ok.”