ABERGAVENNY has been named the ‘Second best place to live in Wales’ according to a poll in the Sunday Times.

The poll, in association with Habito, saw Abergavenny edged out by Mumbles for top spot but ahead of Laugharne, Monmouth, Penarth and St Davids. Abergavenny was described as a ‘Beacon of food and fun’ and ‘A wonderful place to live.’

The description goes on to cite the fact that Abergavenny is ‘Only an hour away from the Gower Peninsula in the lee of the Brecon Beacons and is ideal for lovers of the great outdoors.’

Accessibility was clearly a plus with voters too, making the point that Abergavenny is a, ‘Great spot for commuters, just 32 miles from Cardiff and 50 miles from Bristol.’

Highlighting the 21st century love affair with all thing foodie, the adjudicators proclaimed, ‘An annual food festival has burnished the town’s epicurean reputation and there are now more classy restaurants than you can shake a stick at.’

The survey stated the cost of a starter home in the town averages, £127,340 (£480 pcm) while a mid-market property will set you back £247,450 (£780 pcm); a home in the ‘family’ category costs around £412,170 (£940 pcm).

Just a few miles up the A465 there is a complete contrast when it comes to property prices with Blaenau Gwent having the lowest average prices anywhere in Wales or England. The county is the only local authority area where average prices remain below £100,000.

Newport, however, has been identified by property portal Rightmove as having the fastest moving property market in Britain, with the number of available homes up for sale dropping by a third over the past year. The imminent removal of Severn Bridge tolls has led to a surge in buyers.

Mayor of Abergavenny, David Simcock commented, ‘I am delighted that Abergavenny has been voted as one of the best places in Wales to live; my only disappointment is that we came second to Mumbles - lovely as that seaside town undoubtedly is.

‘Wherever you are from, there is a welcome here from an inclusive community proud of its heritage which pulls together every year to stage several famous festivals. The coming removal of the Severn Bridge tolls will undoubtedly boost Abergavenny’s attractiveness (and house values) still further.

‘The challenge is to ensure that Abergavenny’s charm as a Welsh border town is preserved and enhanced for future generations. Recent developments have not always done so.’

Our intrepid reporter, Joe Pugh went out into the streets of Abergavenny to gauge local opinion on our ranking. Gaynor Hadfield, 74, stated, ‘I love it, it’s small, has every facility we could want, and a wonderful theatre too.’

Sarah Morgan, 39, added, ‘It’s very picturesque. There are plenty of nice things to do.’ Simon Smith, 34, agreed, stating, ’I like that it’s not too big. It seems like everyone’s very friendly, I’ve moved from Derby and there’s a vast difference in how friendly people are. Obviously, there’s the beautiful scenery and surroundings. You can get into the mountains from here, it’s fantastic.’

Keith Deakin, 80, “told us, ‘It’s a busy town, plenty of shopping and better still now Morrison’s is here. There’s friendly people and it’s improving all the time.’