Community Profile

The market town of Calne is an important service centre not only for the people who live in the town, but also for those from the surrounding rural areas, including many villages, that come to work, shop or study in the town. Villages using Calne as a centre for services include Bremhill, Cherhill, Compton Bassett, Derry Hill, Heddington and Hilmarton giving an overall population of 21,945.

Residents outside the Calne Community Area (C.A.), including Lyneham and some parts of Chippenham, also use Calne as a service centre at times. The C.A. covers 13,288 hectares. Much of the C.A. straddles the A4 and was for centuries an important staging post on the road from London to Bristol.

In economic terms, Calne is an important local service and employment centre. In addition to shops and offices in the town centre, local employment is provided by the Porte Marsh industrial estate, the Beversbrook Business Park, and a number of larger industries located elsewhere around the town.

The town has a range of small retailers, comprising both local and national companies that gear their products and services to meet the needs of the local population. It also has a few small supermarkets, including Sainsbury's and is enhanced by a weekly general market, monthly farmers' market and other occasional speciality markets.

In addition to employment and shopping facilities, Calne is a focal point for learning and education. The secondary school, John Bentley School, has been awarded language college status and is developing its role in the community.

Acknowledements: Jackie Guinness and Andrew Jack of the Research & Intelligence team, Wiltshire Council.

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