Editing Cheddar, Somerset (section)

== Economy ==
[[File:Cheddar Youth Hostel - geograph.org.uk - 11648.jpg|thumb|right|Cheddar Youth Hostel]]
The village gave its name to [[Cheddar cheese]],<ref name=curdswhey>{{cite news| title= Separating the curds from the whey | url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5241544.stm | work= [[BBC Radio 4]] Open Country| date= 21 August 2006 | last= Smale | first=Will | access-date=7 August 2007 }}</ref> which is the most popular type of cheese in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web| title=The Interview—Lactalis McLelland's 'Seriously': driving the Cheddar market | work=The Grocery Trader | url=http://www.grocerytrader.co.uk/News/October_2006/G_lactalis.html | access-date=9 May 2007}}</ref> The cheese is now made and consumed worldwide, and only one producer remains in the village.

Since the 1880s, Cheddar's other main produce has been the [[strawberry]],<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Rendell |first1=J. |editor1-last=Nisen |editor1-first=A. |date=February 1973 |title=Symposium on Strawberry under Protection |section=Economic Problems of the Protected Strawberry Crop in South West England |publisher=[[International Society for Horticultural Science]] |series=Acta Horticulturae |volume=1 |number=30 |pages=211{{Ndash}}218 |location=The Hague |language=en |doi=10.17660/actahortic.1973.30.26 |issn=0567-7572 |oclc=5891863629 |section-url=https://www.actahort.org/books/30/30_26.htm |access-date=24 September 2024 |section-url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240905180154/https://www.actahort.org/books/30/30_26.htm |archive-date=5 September 2024}}</ref> which is grown on the south-facing lower slopes of the Mendip hills.<ref name="richardson"/> As a consequence of its use for transporting strawberries to market, the since-closed [[Cheddar Valley line]] became known as ''The Strawberry Line'' after it opened in 1869.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.sustrans.org.uk/assets/files/leaflets/Strawberry%20Line%20leaflet.pdf | publisher= Sustrans | title= The Strawberry Line | access-date= 25 April 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100326090404/http://www.sustrans.org.uk/assets/files/leaflets/Strawberry%20Line%20leaflet.pdf | archive-date= 26 March 2010 | url-status= dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.thestrawberryline.co.uk/d/103/Search_Results.php?doc=62 | title= Archive | publisher= The Strawberry Line | access-date= 25 April 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111005040858/http://www.thestrawberryline.co.uk/d/103/Search_Results.php?doc=62 | archive-date= 5 October 2011 | url-status= dead }}</ref>
The line ran from [[Yatton]] to [[Wells, Somerset|Wells]]. When the rest of the line was closed and all passenger services ceased, the section of the line between Cheddar and Yatton remained open for goods traffic. It provided a fast link with the main markets for the strawberries in [[Birmingham]] and London, but finally closed in 1964,<ref name="daniels">{{Daniels-NoMore | edition = 3rd | page = 16 }}</ref> becoming part of the Cheddar Valley Railway Nature Reserve.<ref name="Strawberry Line">{{cite web |url=http://www.forestofavon.org/sl.html |title=Strawberry Line |access-date=23 November 2007 |work=Forest of Avon |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071111150036/http://www.forestofavon.org/sl.html |archive-date=11 November 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Cheddar Ales]] is a small brewery based in the village, producing beer for local [[public houses]].<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.camrabristol.org.uk/pw72s.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704121327/http://www.camrabristol.org.uk/pw72s.pdf |archive-date=2008-07-04 |url-status=live | page= 7 | publisher= [[Campaign for Real Ale|CAMRA Bristol]] | work= Pints West No. 72 Winter 2006/2007 edition | title= Discovering Cheddar Ales | access-date=21 January 2008}}</ref>

Tourism is a significant source of employment. Around 15&nbsp;percent of employment in [[Sedgemoor]] is provided by tourism,<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.sedgemoor.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=1531&p=0 | work= Sedgemoor District Local Plan 1991&nbsp;– 2011 Adopted Version | title= Recreation, Leisure and Tourism | publisher= Sedgemoor District Council | access-date= 6 June 2012 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131202221604/http://www.sedgemoor.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=1531&p=0 | archive-date= 2 December 2013 | url-status= dead }}</ref> but within Cheddar it is estimated to employ as many as 1,000 people.<ref>{{Cite book| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=tA-2NAuiAa4C | title= Focus on Geography: Tourism, leisure and recreation | first= Garrett | last= Nagle| publisher=Nelson Thornes | year= 1999 | pages=54–56 | isbn= 978-0-17-444705-4}}</ref>
The village also has a [[youth hostel]],<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/south-west-england/hostels/cheddar/index.aspx | publisher= [[Youth Hostels Association (England & Wales)|YHA]] | title= Cheddar Youth Hostel | access-date= 30 March 2010 | archive-date= 12 March 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100312001747/http://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/south-west-england/hostels/cheddar/index.aspx | url-status= dead }}</ref> and a number of camping and caravan sites.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.cheddarvillage.org.uk/accommodation/camping-and-caravanning/ | title= Campsites and caravan sites |publisher=Cheddar Web Site | access-date=6 June 2012}}</ref>