TOWN councillors are doing their bit to help the town become a better place to shop.

Councillor Ellie Bland opened a women's clothes shop this month and now Coun Peter Dolman has opened a designer men's wear shop.

Youngsters from John Bentley School in Calne helped give Coun Dolman's shop an eyecatching look by using graffiti art in keeping with the shop name Tag.

Students Jamie Burgess, Dan Potter, Aaron Slade and Mike Hampton sprayed graffiti designs over the walls of the shop.

On Saturday both shops were opened by the Mayor Colin Viner.

Coun Bland, who is in trouble with her own Conservative party for sending a racist email, had to delay the offical opening of her shop Sophisticatz, after she became the focus of national press attention.

Coun Dolman's shop in Phelps Parade will be selling both designer and high street clothing lines including Diesel and Ralph Lauren.

He collected the keys on November 17 and was given only one week to set up shop.

Faced with redundancy from Lloyds Bank earlier this year Coun Dolman, 55, of Lickhill, decided to look into opening a shop.

He said: "It might be a bit old to start up something like this but you are only as young as you feel and I certainly don't feel 55."

Tag, which replaces Bassett Books in the shopping precinct, is the only men's clothes shop in Calne.

Coun Dolman said: "We have a great selection of women's clothing shops in Calne especially with the arrival of Juniper and Sophisticatz.

"There hasn't been a men's clothes shop in Calne for at least 20 years so we just thought it would be good to have one, especially when Calne is really on the up.

"Finally a man in the town can buy something as simple as socks without having to drive into Chippenham."