Rugby, Warwickshire

Rugby is a market town in the county of Warwickshire in central England on the River Avon. Rugby has a population of 62,790 (2002 estimate). The larger borough of Rugby has a population of 89,240.

Economy

Rugby's economy is mainly industrial. It is an engineering centre and has a long history of producing gas and steam turbines at the Alstom (formerly GEC and AEI (earlier British Thomson-Houston or BTH)) works which used to dominate employment in the town. Engineering in Rugby has declined in recent years and the future of the Alstom works looks shaky, but it still remains the largest private employer in Rugby.

Related Topics:
Industrial - Engineering - Turbine - Alstom - GEC - AEI - British Thomson-Houston

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Another major industry in Rugby is cement making; the giant Rugby Cement works on the western outskirts of the town makes cement from the local Jurassic Lias limestone. The cement industry in Rugby dates back to the 1860s. In the mid-1990s the Rugby Cement plant at nearby Southam was closed, and all production was moved to the Rugby plant which was dramatically enlarged and is now one of the largest of its type in Europe.

Related Topics:
Cement - Rugby Cement - Jurassic - Lias - 1860s - 1990s - Southam

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Since the 1980s several large industrial estates have been built to the north of the town, and warehousing and distribution have become major employers.

Related Topics:
1980s - Industrial estate - Warehousing

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Further afield, within the Rugby borough is the Peugeot car factory at Ryton-on-Dunsmore, and the Rolls-Royce engineering works near Ansty. Both of these are nearer to Coventry, but are also major employers in Rugby.

Related Topics:
Rugby borough - Peugeot - Ryton-on-Dunsmore - Rolls-Royce - Ansty - Coventry

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Tourism is also important to the town's economy, especially related to Rugby football.

Related Topics:
Tourism - Rugby football

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A link to Rugby's rural past can still be found in the cattle market held near the railway station. A cattle market has been held in Rugby since medieval times.

Related Topics:
Cattle market - Medieval

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rugby is to some extent a dormitory town for nearby places such as Coventry, Leicester, and Birmingham.

Related Topics:
Coventry - Leicester - Birmingham

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~