Belper is a town of about 22,000 population, having grown quite
substantially in the last 10 years. In the central area of the town,
there is a predominance of older properties, many of them built from
the traditional Derbyshire gritstone.
During the 1980s, Belper was reported to have the lowest unemployment
per capita of any town in Northern Europe, and still has very high
employment levels.
There are a number of major companies in the town including
Deb Chemicals, Glow-worm boilers, head offices of
Thornton's Chocolates and Jaeger knitware.
The town has quite a thriving pub scene, with some 20 to 25
pubs within the town boundaries. Within 400 yards of the church are
three pubs, two hotels and 4 take aways.
Click the video below to see a Belper TV programme on the History of Belper,
narrated by Simon Groom (ex BBC Blue Peter presenter).
