'If in doubt, don't accept' - Villagers warned to be wary of 'Nottingham knockers'
Residents in a Shropshire village near Bridgnorth have been warned to be aware of 'Nottingham Knockers' operating in the area.
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The warning was issued by Highley Parish Council who explained that the phrase refers to door-to-door tradespeople offering poor service and "rip-off prices".
The parish council said it had received several reports of rogue traders in the village.
The parish council said: "Beware of Nottingham knockers. We have received several reports of 'rogue gardeners' - these are opportunists knocking on the doors of people in Highley offering poor services at rip-off prices.
"Please try and use reputable service people (preferably locals) and remember word-of-mouth recommendations are usually the best! If in doubt, don't accept."
The phrase 'Nottingham knockers' originated from groups of door-to-door salesmen, initially from the Nottingham area, who would knock on people's doors to offer goods, often associated with selling cheap household items at inflated prices and in some instances have been involved in serious crimes like scouting for burglaries.