Church Stretton is a market community in Shropshire, England, 13 miles (21 kilometres) 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 as well as Edwardian duration for its landscape, and also ended up being a health resort. The regional geology includes a few of the earliest rocks in England and also a noteworthy fault is named after the community. Today, Church Stretton is a hectic market community in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The mineral water extraction as well as bottling plant on Shrewsbury Road (understood in your area as the 'Pop Works'), has been running considering that 1883; since 2004 it has offered Princes with mineral water. It is a noteworthy neighborhood employer as is the polymer laboratories off Essex Road, presently owned by Agilent Technologies (till 2009 by Varian). There is a designated light industrial area between the A49 as well as the railway line, known as Crossways, with a variety of services, much of which are in the car trade, consisting of an independent petrol/diesel loading terminal. The town take advantage of tourist, which is a development sector in the area, along with attracting neighborhood trade. A current survey showed that the town has some 50 retail outlets, 44 of which are separately had, with a diverse series of store types. [48] These include 2 butchers, several outdoor activities stores, a baker, a deli, numerous garments and footwear shops, three financial institutions, as well as two grocery stores (Co-op as well as Spar). There is a large antiques market, positioned in a former malthouse on the edge of Sandford Avenue as well as Easthope Road. There are four clubs, an along with a number of coffee shops and also tiny restaurants. In June 2011 the community was officially stated to be a "Fairtrade Town" with 34 organisations selling fair trade products. There is a little art gallery in the former resort on the corner of Shrewsbury Road and also Sandford Avenue. The community also has a number of specialist services, such as lawyers, accounting professionals and estate representatives, confirming its standing as a regional centre of organisation. The community continues to benefit from its reputation as a health club town, as well as a desirable place to live, particularly in retirement. House prices are above the region standard as well as have seen comparable boosts in current times to various other health facility towns in the UK.