NAILSWORTH has been named as one of the top 101 best places to live in Britain by The Sunday Times.

Judges described Nailworth as ‘a lovely Cotswold market town’ and noted its free parking, fancy restaurants and shops.

Nailsworth mayor Myles Robinson said: "I am pleased our community is highly regarded.

"I believe the two biggest factors are having a strong industrial employment base and no out of town supermarket.

"Nailsworth rarely has vacant shops. The absence of an out of town supermarket has enabled a wide range of independent shops to flourish, aided of course by free parking throughout the town.

"Independent spirit has been a feature of the community since the seventeenth century, when non conformist groups met in Forest Green and Shortwood. We still enjoy being independently minded today."

Town councillor Steve Robinson added: “As a Nailsworth resident and town councillor I am very proud that our town has been included in the list.

“I think Nailsworth is a super town. It has so much going for it with great shops and restaurants.

“Nailsworth also has a great community of people who are so enthusiastic about their town."

Nailsworth is a bustling market town with a wealth of independent shops and a large selection of places to eat and drink.

It also hosts a lively farmers’ market on the fourth Saturday of every month in Mortimer Gardens as well as popular annual events such as the Nailsworth Festival and Nailsworth Noel.

In the article, printed on Sunday, March 16, The Sunday Times said: “Nailsworth is a lovely Cotswold market town just south of Stroud and west of the more fashionable addresses.

“Over the past five years it has been noticeably going up in the world, with ever-fancier restaurants and shops attracting more of the same.

“William’s Fish Market and Foodhall started the ball rolling and the upward trend is self-perpetuating.

“Nailsworth is notable for its free parking and the number of Saab convertables that occupy the spaces.

“The best houses in the centre cost up to £1million; larger homes on the outskirts go for £3million-£4million.”

Rounding off its analysis, the newspaper said : “Why we love it: Posh grub and no parking tickets”.

Fifteen towns in the South West of England made it onto the list including Cheltenham, Harbourside in Bristol and Witney in Oxfordshire. Sunday Times judges deemed Skipton in North Yorkshire as the best place to live.