'Absolutely buzzing' town voted best in south-west

An "absolutely buzzing" market town has been ranked as the best place to live in the south-west of England.

Judges from the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide picked Malmesbury in Wiltshire due to its range of annual events and lively High Street.

Meanwhile the "culture and charm" of Bristol's Kingsdown and the "community spirit" of Stroud in Gloucestershire helped these two locations be named as runners up.

On Malmesbury, Sunday Times judge Tim Palmer said: "It's a beautiful historic town which has also managed to keep itself bang up to date. At a time when so many town centres and High Streets are struggling, [this] High Street is absolutely buzzing."

Malmesbury was chosen for its variety of things to do, as well as its annual carnival hosted "by the community, for the community".

Judges also pointed to the Three Cups pub, wide range of state schools and job opportunities at the Dyson Creative Campus.

Malmesbury can be seen as "the place you pass by on the M4" to outsiders, says resident Jenni Tricklebank, who has lived there 15 years. She hopes the new Sunday Times ranking will bring more visitors to the town.

She told BBC Radio Wiltshire: "We rented in Malmesbury to start with thinking we'll move to Bath or Bristol, somewhere with a bit more going on. But we just fell in love with the place.

"We're so lucky you have everything we need right in the town centre, yet the countryside is right on our doorstep."

David Drake, head of the Malmesbury Town Team and owner of the Caerbladon gallery, said the new ranking was "fantastic" news, but added that challenges have arisen due to the town's rise in residents.

"It is a medieval town which wasn't designed with the volume of traffic which we currently experience in mind.

"We've been working hard to encourage people to cycle or walk.

"I think the future really is in more sustainable town use that increases the quality of experience for residents and visitors," he added.

Kingsdown in Bristol was praised for the suburb's walkable nature, its range of pubs, cafes and independent shops.

Meanwhile judges in Stroud praised its Saturday morning farmers' market, train links and "a quality lifestyle for everyone".

• Malmesbury, Wiltshire
• Bridport, Dorset
• Bristol: Kingsdown
• Dartmoor, Devon
• Exmouth, Devon
• Falmouth and Penryn, Cornwall
• Stroud, Gloucestershire
• Wimborne Minster, Dorset

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