The Upper Annandale town narrowly missed out on the 2017 crown, clinching 20 per cent of the votes to come second behind the winner Forres, who had 23 per cent.
Despite the disappointment, there was some joy at beating bigger towns such as Lanark.
The results were announced at Scotland’s Towns Conference in Paisley Town Hall on Tuesday.
Moffat Community Council chair- man Bob Opray was the man behind the nomination. It was his poem about life in Moffat that initially caught the judging panel’s eye and earned Moffat a shortlisted space.
In it he enthuses about the town’s unique attributes from its lime trees to its iconic Moffat Ram and the war memorial.
Moffat’s historic links with legendary wizard Merlin and the Tsar of Russia, as well as the events it hosts – Sheep Races, Classic Car Rally, Mof- fat Gala – also get a good mention.
He also highlights the lack of chain stores – “There is no M&S, Boots, Tesco, Aldi, Lidl or Sainsbury or phone shop anywhere near it” – and boasts about the boutiques and unique shops on offer.
Reacting yesterday, Bob said: “Second place is a great achieve- ment but to me Moffat will always be number one.
“Fingers crossed next year, thanks to efforts from Dumfries and Gallo- way Council to improve our disability access, we can come out on top.”
And offering his congratulations, Oliver Mundell MSP said: “This is a signi cant achievement for Moffat and rmly cements the town as one of the best places in Scotland.
“I’m proud to call it my hometown and there is a wonderful community spirit among Moffatonians which I’m sure played a big part in propelling Moffat into second place.
“This recognition is a boost for the town and I hope will attract more tourists to experience Moffat’s wonderful array of attractions, shops and eateries.”
