Brentwood is a town in the county of Essex. The town of Brentwood has a population of over 47,000 people. It is located within the London commuter belt, near to the M25 motorway and is situated approximately 20 miles from Charing Cross, making the town an ideal place to live for those wishing to work in the capital.
In spite of its proximity to London, the town has a very rural feel. Brentwood is surrounded by woodlands and open areas of countryside. It has a number of parks including Shenfield Common which is just a mile from the town centre.
Brentwood is home to a number of businesses, including the Ford Motor Company's UK headquarters and the property developer Countryside Properties. Hinge manufacturers NV Tools are based in the commuter suburb of Hutton.There is much employment within Brentwood in the financial services sector and companies include the Equity Insurance Group's headquarters and the Bank of New York Mellon. Electronics Company Amstrad also have a significant presence in the town and is also the location of their headquarters.
Well-known businesses that used to have presence in the town include vacuum flask manufacturer Thermos, and Nissen whose UK factory and headquarters were established in Brentwood by Ted Blake from mid-1960- the 1980's.
Brentwood has a large number of pubs for a town of its size, as well as many shops and restaurants. Brentwood also has its own theatre which is very popular within the town, there are a large number of theatre companies within the region and the venue has recently undergone redevelopment to improve its facilities.
Brentwood has its own youth centre, the Hermitage; it has its own cafe, youth club and a live music venue called 'The Hermit'. Brentwood is also the home of the Royal British Legion Youth Band and events are performed in the town throughout the year. Brentwood has its own railway station and is served well by public transport via buses to the surrounding areas. The nearest airport to Brentwood is Stansted which approximately 30 minutes from the town.