Chesterfield is a market town within the county of Derbyshire. The town resides 24 miles north of Derby. Chesterfield is Derbyshire's largest town and has a population of over 70,000 people. The town is currently home to one of the largest open air markets within Britain. Chesterfield is known for being the home of the 'crooked spire', which sits atop a 14th Century church within the town.
Historically Chesterfield was heavily centred on the coal mining industry. Chesterfield was surrounded by coal mines which were mined until the 1980s when the industry began to decline. Today, employment is more focused around manufacturing which provides large numbers of jobs within Chesterfield. The Royal Mail has a large presence within the town and creates many jobs. Its Post Office administration department is located on the edge of the town centre.
Chesterfield has a strong retail centre. As well as being home to one of the largest open air markets in Britain, it also has a large indoor shopping centre 'The Pavements' which was opened in 1981. In 2000 the Vicar Lane area was also redeveloped to become a pedestrianised open-air shopping area within the town. The project has created two new shopping streets that ensure the retail sector creates much employment within Chesterfield.
Chesterfield has a very popular centre and the town's nightlife includes the 'Brampton Mile', which contains 13 pubs on a 1 mile stretch of road. There are many pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants within the town. Other attractions within Chesterfield include the Pomegranate Theatre; situated in a listed Victorian building, the theatre seats around 500 people and shows are performed throughout the year. The Winding Wheel, a multipurpose venue for conferences, concerts and exhibitions and the Chesterfield Museum are also popular places to see in Chesterfield.
Chesterfield Railway Station provides transport to the rest of the UK via the Midland mainline. Chesterfield did have its own tramway system, however this closed in 1927. For getting around more locally, Chesterfield operates a number of comprehensive bus services to the surrounding areas and also has its own coach station which provides services to Gatwick Airport, Oxford, Cardiff, Sheffield, Liverpool and London amongst many others.