One of Bassetlaw's historic market towns, Retford, has been named as one of the top eight best places to live in Nottinghamshire in a 2027 guide.

Retford, described as a' warm and friendly place' to live, was praised for offering "convenience, community and connectivity without the downsides of congestion and cost" in the Muddy Stilettos Best Places to Live 2027 Guide.

The Guide highlights that the appealing town is known for its Georgian architecture, busy market square, twice-weekly markets, a lovely central park, local canal walks, independent eateries, and seasonal family festivals like Party in the Square.

It is noted as being relatively affordable for families and first-time buyers compared to other regions, and being just a few miles from the A1, makes travel and commuting to places such as Worksop, Doncaster, Nottingham and Lincoln easy.

The centre of Retford, named as one of Nottinghamshire's top eight places to live.

placeholder image — The centre of Retford, named as one of Nottinghamshire's top eight places to live.

The town is also on the main East Coast Main Line, allowing rail passengers to make it to London in less than 90 mins from Retford Railway Station.

Like most market towns, the Guide says, Retford has a mix of high street brands, indie boutiques, and a traditional market held in the historic square every Thursday and Saturday, while its green heart is King’s Park, that is scenic and peaceful with landscaped gardens, a kids’ play area, a skate park and tennis courts.

Idle Valley nature reserve on the outskirts hosts twice-weekly wellbeing walks and there's a multi-award-winning spa and restaurant at Ye Olde Bell Hotel.

Retford stages many free community events including Party in the Square on August bank holiday, a summer food festival, Halloween and Christmas events, and lively circus antics at the annual Cirque du North.

Kings Park, Retford has landscaped grounds with a river running through, a large play area, tennis courts and a skate park.

Within the town that has a wide choice of cafes, other eateries and bars, Bassetlaw Museum has ever-changing exhibitions and events, and around the town are such attractions as Creswell Crags, Clumber Park and many more places to visit.

The Little Theatre hosts some great plays and also shows films in The Screen, while The Majestic attracts bigger productions, pantos and family shows.

It is noted that there are excellent schools for families to choose from, while properties in and around Retford are going for competitive prices, selling for an average £206,005 over the past year. Semis averaged £184,785, while detached homes fetched around £306,192.