SOME of the town centre’s leading stores have been rolling out the red carpet for some VIP guests.

That is because the mayor and mayoress of St Helens have been flying the flag for the town centre’s independent retailers.

Councillor Geoff and Carol Pearl visited several stores as part of Independents Day 2014, the annual national event that celebrates and promotes homegrown shops.

The civic shopping trip took in stores including Ena Shaw, Kaleidoscope Records, Wardleworths book store, Tyrers, Side Walk menswear, Jones and Hoffman jewellers, St Mary’s Market, Bar Java and OD’s designer clothing.