Church Stretton is a market town in Shropshire, England, 13 miles (21 km) south of Shrewsbury and 15 miles (24 km) north of Ludlow. The population in 2011 was 4,671. The town was nicknamed Little Switzerland in the late Victorian and Edwardian period for its landscape, as well as became a health resort. The local geology includes some of the oldest rocks in England and also a notable fault is called after the community. Today, Church Stretton is an active market town in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The mineral water removal and bottling plant on Shrewsbury Road (recognized locally as the 'Pop Works'), has been running because 1883; because 2004 it has given Princes with mineral water. It is a notable neighborhood employer as is the polymer research laboratories off Essex Roadway, presently had by Agilent Technologies (until 2009 by Varian). There is a designated light enterprise zone in between the A49 and the train line, known as Crossways, with a variety of services, many of which are in the motoring profession, consisting of an independent petrol/diesel filling up station. The community gain from tourism, which is a development industry in the location, as well as attracting neighborhood trade. A current study showed that the town has some 50 retail electrical outlets, 44 of which are individually owned, with a varied series of shop types. [48] These include two butchers, several outdoor tasks shops, a baker, a deli, a number of clothes as well as footwear shops, three financial institutions, as well as 2 grocery stores (Co-op as well as Spar). There is a big antiques market, situated in a former malthouse on the corner of Sandford Avenue and Easthope Road. There are four clubs, an along with a number of cafes and also little dining establishments. In June 2011 the community was officially stated to be a "Fairtrade Town" with 34 organisations marketing fair trade products. There is a tiny art gallery in the former hotel on the corner of Shrewsbury Road and also Sandford Avenue. The town also has a variety of professional services, such as lawyers, accountants and estate agents, validating its status as a regional centre of organisation. The community continues to gain from its online reputation as a health club town, and also a preferable area to live, particularly in retirement. House rates are above the area average and have actually seen comparable boosts in current times to other health spa communities in the UK.