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 community was nicknamed Little Switzerland in the late Victorian as well as Edwardian duration for its landscape, as well as ended up being a health spa. The neighborhood geology includes a few of the oldest rocks in England and a significant mistake is called after the community. Today, Church Stretton is a hectic market community in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The mineral water removal and also bottling plant on Shrewsbury Road (known in your area as the 'Pop Works'), has been running considering that 1883; considering that 2004 it has actually given Princes with mineral water. It is a notable regional employer as is the polymer laboratories off Essex Roadway, currently owned by Agilent Technologies (up until 2009 by Varian). There is a designated light industrial park between the A49 as well as the train line, referred to as Crossways, with a variety of organisations, many of which remain in the motoring trade, including an independent petrol/diesel loading terminal. The town take advantage of tourist, which is a growth sector in the location, as well as bring in local profession. A current survey showed that the community has some 50 retail electrical outlets, 44 of which are individually possessed, with a varied series of store kinds. [48] These consist of 2 butchers, a number of exterior activities shops, a baker, a delicatessen, a number of clothes and footwear stores, 3 financial institutions, and also 2 supermarkets (Co-op and Spar). There is a big antiques market, located in a previous malthouse on the corner of Sandford Avenue and Easthope Road. There are 4 clubs, an as well as a variety of cafes and small restaurants. In June 2011 the town was officially proclaimed to be a "Fairtrade Town" with 34 services offering fair trade items. There is a little art gallery in the previous hotel on the edge of Shrewsbury Road as well as Sandford Avenue. The community additionally has a variety of specialist services, such as lawyers, accounting professionals as well as estate agents, verifying its status as a regional centre of service. The town remains to take advantage of its credibility as a spa community, and also a preferable place to live, especially in retirement. House costs are above the county standard as well as have actually seen similar boosts in current times to various other health club communities in the UK.