Small retailers in Ross have reason to celebrate after the town ranked 5th in the UK, in a mystery shopping exercise designed to test the town's overall shopping experience.

Throughout October and November, independent shops in Ross were secretly assessed by trained market research professionals as part of a Location Model project, designed by Skillsmart Retail, the Sector Skills Council for Retail on behalf of Advantage West Midlands.

After two visits to each of 32 shops, the town's overall score was rated at 88.4%, above the benchmark score of 80%, placing it firmly in the top ten of the 71 towns which have been assessed – higher than Cheltenham, Gloucester and Nottingham.

Top of the shops was The Cookshop on High Street (pictured) which scored 99.0%, closely followed by Parkfields Gallery (97.6%) and Gallery 54 (97.5%), both also on High Street.

John Passmore, Economic Development Officer at Herefordshire County Council, which helped organise the Location Model said: "The Location Model project was commissioned in partnership with retailers in Ross with the aim of enabling us to strengthen the local economy by offering the best possible shopping experience to residents and visitors alike. I hoped Ross would do well, but for the town to be ranked 5th out of 71 is very pleasing."