Church Stretton is a market town in Shropshire, England, 13 miles (21 km) south of Shrewsbury and also 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 also Edwardian duration for its landscape, as well as ended up being a health spa. The neighborhood geology includes some of the oldest rocks in England and also a significant mistake is named after the town. Today, Church Stretton is an active market community 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 running considering that 1883; because 2004 it has supplied Princes with mineral water. It is a remarkable local employer as is the polymer labs off Essex Roadway, currently possessed by Agilent Technologies (up until 2009 by Varian). There is an assigned light industrial park in between the A49 as well as the railway line, referred to as Crossways, with a number of services, a lot of which remain in the motoring trade, consisting of an independent petrol/diesel filling terminal. The community benefits from tourism, which is a development market in the area, along with attracting regional trade. A recent study showed that the town has some 50 retail electrical outlets, 44 of which are individually had, with a varied variety of store types. [48] These include two butchers, numerous outdoor activities stores, a baker, a deli, a number of clothing and shoe shops, 3 financial institutions, and also two supermarkets (Co-op and also Spar). There is a large antiques market, situated in a former malthouse on the edge of Sandford Avenue and also Easthope Road. There are 4 pubs, an in addition to a variety of coffee shops and also little dining establishments. In June 2011 the community was officially stated to be a "Fairtrade Town" with 34 services marketing fair trade products. There is a small art gallery in the previous resort on the corner of Shrewsbury Road as well as Sandford Avenue. The town also has a variety of professional services, such as solicitors, accountants as well as estate representatives, verifying its status as a neighborhood centre of business. The community remains to benefit from its online reputation as a health facility community, and also a preferable area to live, particularly in retired life. Residence prices are above the county average and have actually seen similar boosts in current times to various other health club towns in the UK.