Andover is a town in the county of Hampshire. It has a population of over 52,000 people. The town is around 18.5 miles west of Basingstoke and 25 miles north of Southampton. The town of Andover lies on the River Anton.
It was proposed that Andover be used to house residents of London, as an overflow town, due to overcrowding within the capital. Plans were made to increase housing and amenities within Andover in 1961. By 1981 there were many new housing developments within the town and the population increased to 51,000.
The largest employer within Andover is the Ministry of Defence. RAF Andover was opened during the First World War and is the site of the RAF staff college. The first British military helicopter unit, the Helicopter Training School was formed at the site in 1945.
There are many areas of employment in the town of Andover in a variety of sectors. The tea and coffee firm Twinnings is based in Andover, as well as publishing company Thompson International Publishers and financial institutions including the Lloyds Banking Group.
The Town Museum in Andover is a popular visitor attraction, within the museum you can see Iron Age artefacts which were excavated from the nearby area, along with much more. The town also has a live entertainment venue known as Lights. Andover also has its own cinema and the town centre is home to many shops and supermarkets.