A DALES market town - named this week among the top ten places to live in Britain - has won further praise from a Euro MP.

Yorkshire and Humber's Timothy Kirkhope toured Richmond yesterday to see how the town is likely to spend £100,000 which it has been awarded by the regional development agency, Yorkshire Forward.

After a morning with Town Centre Forum Company members, the Tory MEP indicated other communities could learn from Richmond's example.

He said: "Things are happening here and that's the main thing. I think it is a very positive place and, if people are seen to be doing things to help themselves, then it gets a response from organisations such as Yorkshire Forward and the European Parliament."

The Richmond Town Centre Forward Company has been conducting research over the past four years on how the town could improve its lot.

Town centre manager Colin Grant has been appointed to co-ordinate projects on the ground and he confirmed yesterday that a marketing campaign is about to be launched in an attempt to fill 16 empty shops in the town centre.

Mr Kirkhope said: "Richmond has no problem attracting people but visitors need to be persuaded to spend more once they are here. The town is working hard to improve and its message to others has to be 'Come and join us'."

Country Life magazine announced the results of a survey on Wednesday which classified the best places to live in Britain, based on criteria which included house prices, crime rates, local amenities and schools.

Alnwick in Northumberland was judged the best, while Richmond was placed eighth.