Chepstow is celebrating after its new look town centre was named Gold Standard winner of retail property organisation BCSC 2005 Town Centre Environment Awards.

The awards recognise work undertaken in towns and cities across the UK to improve the retail environment of traditional shopping centres.

Monmouthshire County Council cabinet member for environment, Councillor Chris Woodhouse said: "It is a privilege and honour for Chepstow to be recognised by the BCSC in this award. Especially when you consider the town was competing with projects of £20m and more. "It confirms the belief that the council, and its partners on the working group, had in the scheme, and is recognition for retailers and residents who faced significant disturbance during the year-long works."

John Laker, chairman of the awards jury, said: "Chepstow impressed the judges by the quality of the works that had been carried out and the imagination that had been put into rejuvenating what is essentially a shopping street situated on a hill. "The jury liked the ingenious and discreet nod to history the town has taken by inserting pavement plaques in front of High Street shops that list the previous occupiers of that shop going back 50 or more years."