ANDOVER’S Mayor has backed the Advertiser’s campaign aimed at highlighting why the town is a great place to live.

In light of Andover’s inclusion in last year’s Worst Places to Live list on a satirical website, the team at Advertiser HQ decided to take matters into their own hands and prove why it does not deserve to be voted for this year, through our launch of the Andover Appreciation Campaign..

When asked if she would back the campaign, mayor of Andover Cllr Barbara Long, said: “Yes, I think it’s a great place to live!”

She said that residents should be “shouting loud and strong” about the positives of the town, adding: “I came to live in Andover in the 1970s, after I finished college. It’s very different now than what it was in the 1970s, but if you look over the past two years, when people have been in trouble, or people have had problem, there are a number of Andover residents who step up to the plate and help out.”

Cllr Long cited the support of neighbours in Charlton following the lightning strike fire in July, as well as the ongoing work of various community groups helping those in need throughout the pandemic.

She continued: “There are lots of people in Andover who go above and beyond to be a good neighbour to someone, and not just someone they know. They hear about someone who is in trouble and they are there to help.

“The Pride of Andover has been going for 15 years, with people nominated for going above and beyond, and this year was just the same.”

Cllr Long added that, in recent years, the closure of high street brands has put a dampener on the town’s reputation, but not fairly.

She said: “Andover has grown since the 70s, and lots of people moan, but the fact that people are there for each other makes it a great place to live - without the people in the community, then any village, town or city is nothing.

“People complain about the state of the high street, but all towns are struggling. Shops have closed in virtually every single town. That’s not just happening in Andover, it’s happening everywhere.

“But we have some great independent shops that go out of their way for people, and that’s not what you get going to the big brands. I do very little shopping outside of Andover”

And referencing recent reports of anti-social behaviour in the town, she added: “Some of this anti-social behaviour, when you look into it, is not necessarily the people of Andover. It’s people coming in on trains, county lines coming in.

“There are lots of kids here who are doing great things, going out and doing things for charity. But some of it isn’t shouted about enough and we should be shouting loud and strong. We have a brilliant town.”

Finally, Cllr Long said that the development of the Augusta Park, Picket Twenty and Picket Piece estates in recent years proves the popularity of Andover as a family destination.

“We have good train service to London, and it's cheaper than places like Winchester,” she said.

“If you look at the community centres in these places, the communities gather together.

“Community is what’s important.”