Church Stretton is a market community 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 Edwardian period for its landscape, and came to be a health resort. The local geology consists of a few of the oldest rocks in England and a notable fault is named after the town. Today, Church Stretton is a busy market town in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The mineral water extraction and also bottling plant on Shrewsbury Road (recognized locally as the 'Pop Works'), has actually been operating since 1883; since 2004 it has offered Princes with mineral water. It is a significant local employer as is the polymer research laboratories off Essex Roadway, presently possessed by Agilent Technologies (up until 2009 by Varian). There is a designated light industrial park between the A49 and the train line, known as Crossways, with a variety of services, many of which are in the car profession, including an independent petrol/diesel loading terminal. The community benefits from tourism, which is a growth industry in the area, in addition to attracting neighborhood profession. A recent study revealed that the town has some 50 retail outlets, 44 of which are individually had, with a diverse range of shop kinds. [48] These consist of two butchers, a number of exterior tasks stores, a baker, a deli, a number of clothing and also footwear stores, 3 financial institutions, as well as two grocery stores (Co-op and Spar). There is a large vintages market, positioned in a previous 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 restaurants. In June 2011 the town was officially stated to be a "Fairtrade Town" with 34 organisations offering fair trade items. There is a tiny art gallery in the previous hotel on the corner of Shrewsbury Road and also Sandford Avenue. The town likewise has a variety of professional solutions, such as solicitors, accountants and also estate agents, verifying its condition as a neighborhood centre of business. The community remains to gain from its online reputation as a medical spa town, and also a preferable area to live, specifically in retired life. House rates are above the region standard as well as have seen comparable boosts in current times to other health spa towns in the UK.