7 of the best independents to check out in St. Helens Borough

Whether it’s treating yourself, a meal out with family, or a quick coffee with friends, the St Helens borough is full of hidden gems just waiting to be discovered.

By choosing to shop at a local independent this summer you’ll not only enjoy a unique experience that you won’t find anywhere else, but you’ll also be supporting real people in our communities.

From brilliant bakes, to well-crafted jewels, pretty party balloons and more, there’s little you can’t get from a business that prides itself on helping customers get exactly what they want.

Here are just seven of the best local independents that you need to visit this summer:

Ellamora

Ellamora is a small and well stocked fashion boutique based in the heart of Rainford village. Here you’ll find a wide range of ladies’ lifestyle brands, exclusive baby wear, accessories, inspiring gifts and more. It’s owner, Ali Harrison, prides herself on customer service and believes getting to know her customers is one of the reasons why they keep coming back.

Visit the website here

Skew Bridge Alehouse

Skew Bridge Alehouse, a Rainhill based micropub, serves customers with the finest real ales, craft beers and ciders from microbreweries across the UK. The Alehouse, which is owned by local duo Amanda and Phil, has been featured in the Good Beer Guide for the past five years running and shares a large outside seating area with neighbouring businesses, making it the perfect location for socialising with friends this summer.

Visit the website here

Watson & Co

There’s no shortage of praise for the perfect shapes and styles at Watson & Co Barbers in Sutton – just look at their Facebook page to find out why they’re a cut above the rest. Business owner Helen Watson also runs the salon next door, offering customers a range of beauty & aesthetic treatments including tans, body lifts, botox & fillers, hair extensions, lashes, brows, waxing and more.

Find out more on their Facebook page

Easy Tots

Easy Tots is quickly becoming the go-to name for all baby and toddler weaning products. It’s owned by St Helens resident and businesswomen, Helen Davies, who recently took her business to BBC’s Dragons Den to secure investment from Sara Davies. You can find out more about Easy Tots and browse their range of quality and unique products on their website.

Visit the website here

Earlestown Market

Marc Isherwood is a third generation trader at the much-loved Earlestown Market, continuing his family’s business that’s been popular for nearly 60 years. Having previously specialised in selling household goods, the family have more recently moved into selling a huge range of artificial flowers. You’ll find everything you need at Earlestown Market, from fashion and childrens toys to plants and home baked goods.

Find out more here.

Bold Natural Soap

Clare Price’s Bold Natural Soap crafts skincare products using sustainable, organic and locally sourced ingredients. Each bar is unique and is lovingly created and packaged by hand from Clare’s home studio. Although Bold Natural Soap is based in St Helens, this business can only be found online and in select retailers, so make sure to visit the website to bag yourself something truly special.

Visit the website here.

La Casa Vieja

This family-owned Spanish Tapas restaurant has been trading in St Helens town centre for 28 years. Its owner, Manuel, and his family proudly offer guests an authentic and friendly dining experience. The restaurant also offers a peaceful outdoor seating area and courtyard, ideal for relaxing on a warm summer evening.

Visit the website here

There’s such a variety of businesses but they all have one thing in common – they’re run by local people, such as your friends, neighbours, or the people you see at the school gates, and they all put everything they’ve got into running their business.

Councillor Kate Groucutt, St Helens Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Economy, Business & Skills, says:

“It’s more important than ever to shop local. Our businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic and they need our support. I think many more of us are now realising the value and importance of our local community and the businesses and people within it. To put it bluntly – if you value it, use it.

“By shopping locally, we help keep our high streets alive. It means keeping money in the local area, supporting jobs of our neighbours and championing hard-working members of our local community.”

If you shop local you can help keep dreams alive, livelihoods afloat, and food on the table for family ran businesses. They’re not the only ones who benefit either – you do too. What they do, and offer, is their passion, they put their heart and soul into providing you with better customer care, better quality goods, and a unique range of products and services. With so many independents in and around in St Helens, there’s no need to shop anywhere else!

So go on, shop local and support your community. Keep it in the borough.