OLD Nick’s done well for himself since he started out trogging around the coast of Britain in the rain, trademark brolly in rucksack.

He stretched that out to a few series, then managed to blag a trip round various parts of Europe, and now he’s back with a series looking at English towns.

He starts off telling us just how great towns are, before announcing that episode one would be dedicated to . . . no, not Nelson, but Ludlow in Shropshire.

There’s a castle, an outdoor market, a lovely river and a couple of Michelin-starred restaurants — all this in a town with a population of only 10,000.

Ludlow really could belong to another century and Sir John Betjeman went so far as to describe it as “probably the loveliest town in England”. Clearly he never came here then, eh?

Local produce bought from the markets is used in the restaurants and businesses thrive though trading with each other, and Shropshire Council has recently spent £3.5 million revitalising their market towns. Imagine that being spent on Churchgate in Bolton! We too could have a great market on the cobbles.

This former capital of Wales even battled Tesco, only agreeing to a store in town so shoppers weren’t directed to spending their money at retail parks elsewhere.

Crane is rightly impressed by the architectural rhythm of the buildings, which have kept their original plots despite development — even Tesco mirrors the background of the hills beyond.

There’s a council estate, which is described as deprived, but still boasts plenty of facilities, including a boxing club similar to that at the Lads and Girls Club in Bolton.

All in, Ludlow is what you might call a clever town, and Nicholas Crane has got himself another good little number here.