On BBC2 tonight a new series of Town celebrates the virtues of living in medium-sized communities that are neither city nor countryside – just like Wellington in fact. Oban is the destination for presenter Nicholas Crane, a geographer with a passion for urban life.
Crane aims to put towns back on the map and refocus them as important sustainable communities amongst predictions that by 2030 a staggering 92 per cent of us will be living in urban areas.
For many people, that conjures up the bright lights and big opportunities of our great cities. But there is another way to live the urban life: Towns – smaller than cities but more intimate and much greener.
In each programme Crane uncovers the secrets of their survival; the reasons for their enduring appeal; and what they can teach people today about living the urban dream. It’s a great series and one of its underlying messages is that we who live in Britain’s small towns should cherish and celebrate them, not apologise.