The 21-year-old cannot be identified for legal reasons but appeared in Inverell Local Court on Thursday afternoon, just hours after he was arrested in Armidale.

The 21-year-old is accused of an attempted armed hold-up at a store on Marsh Street in Armidale in the early hours of Wednesday.

Detectives allege the man was wielding a box cutter knife when he stormed the business and confronted a staff member about 1.25am.

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It's the police case the 21-year-old demanded cash and threatened the staff member with the weapon, but ultimately left the store empty-handed.

New England police were alerted and officers arrived and set-up a crime scene at the business, before speaking to witnesses.

Officers have been investigating the incident and arrested the 21-year-old man in a car stop on Taylor Street in Armidale about 8.30am on Thursday.

The accused was taken to Armidale police station and questioned and charged by detectives. He was refused bail by police.

In court on Thursday, magistrate Mark Richardson ordered the man be taken for a mental health assessment, after he appeared via video link from custody.

The accused was not required to enter pleas to charges of attempted robbery while armed with an offensive weapon, and destroying or damaging property.

The case will return to court at a later date.