Church Stretton is a market town in Shropshire, England, 13 miles (21 kilometres) south of Shrewsbury as well as 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 period for its landscape, as well as ended up being a health spa. The local geology includes some of the earliest rocks in England and also a significant mistake is called after the town. Today, Church Stretton is an active market town in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The mineral water extraction and also bottling plant on Shrewsbury Road (understood in your area as the 'Pop Works'), has been operating given that 1883; since 2004 it has actually offered Princes with mineral water. It is a significant regional employer as is the polymer labs off Essex Road, currently had by Agilent Technologies (up until 2009 by Varian). There is an assigned light enterprise zone between the A49 and also the train line, known as Crossways, with a number of companies, many of which remain in the motoring trade, including an independent petrol/diesel filling terminal. The community benefits from tourism, which is a growth market in the area, in addition to drawing in regional trade. A recent survey showed that the town has some 50 retail electrical outlets, 44 of which are individually possessed, with a varied range of store types. [48] These include two butchers, several exterior activities shops, a baker, a deli, several garments as well as shoe shops, three financial institutions, as well as two grocery stores (Co-op and also Spar). There is a big antiques market, situated in a former malthouse on the edge of Sandford Avenue and Easthope Road. There are four bars, an in addition to a variety of coffee shops as well as tiny dining establishments. In June 2011 the town was formally stated to be a "Fairtrade Town" with 34 companies offering fair trade items. There is a tiny art gallery in the previous hotel on the edge of Shrewsbury Road as well as Sandford Avenue. The community also has a number of expert solutions, such as solicitors, accountants as well as estate representatives, verifying its status as a local centre of business. The community remains to take advantage of its credibility as a health spa town, and also a desirable location to live, specifically in retirement. House costs are above the region standard and also have actually seen comparable rises in recent times to other health spa communities in the UK.