Heanor, United Kingdom

Measured directly, Heanor town is 8 miles (13 km) north-east of Derby and 9.5 miles (15.3 km) west-north-west of Nottingham. It stands on a hill between 65 metres (213 ft) and 125 metres (410 ft) above sea-level. It lies within the Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Yorkshire Coalfield National Character Area as defined by Natural England.

Heanor and Loscoe civil parish includes all Heanor town except Heanor Gate Spencer Academy and a few surrounding streets on the western edge of town (near the road to Smalley), Heanor Gate Industrial Estate to the south west, and a small area of houses on the town's south-eastern fringe near the main road to Ilkeston. The college and surrounding streets and half the industrial estate are in Smalley civil parish, the other areas in Shipley civil parish.

Heanor and Loscoe civil parish contains no conservation areas, but 30 per cent of the area lies in a green belt. The one nature reserve and four wildlife sites are all of local significance.

The most important economic sector in the town, employing more than 20 per cent of the working population, is manufacturing, with the retail sector employing over 17 per cent. Coal mining and textiles used to be major industries, but both declined. In December 2013 the unemployment rate was 2.3 per cent in Heanor East and Heanor and Loscoe wards and 3.5 per cent in Heanor West ward. The average for England at the time was 2.8 per cent.

The Matthew Walker factory in Heanor Gate Industrial Park, famous for the production of Christmas puddings, was sold in 1992 to the Northern Foods Group. Other companies on the park include Advanced Composites Group, Cullum Detuners Ltd and Isolated Systems Ltd. In 2011 the 2 Sisters Food Group purchased Northern Foods. The Matthew Walker factory is now a part of the 2 Sisters Chilled Division.

Retail chains with a presence include Tesco, Aldi, and Boyes. A small outdoor market is held on Fridays and Saturdays.

Heanor has two infant schools (Corfield Church of England Infant School and Marlpool Infant School), three primary schools (Coppice Primary School, Howitt Primary Community School and Loscoe Church of England Primary School), two junior schools (Marlpool Junior School and Mundy Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School) and one secondary school (Heanor Gate Spencer Academy). Heanor Grammar School, which was just to the east of the market place, was latterly part of Derby College but is currently closed. The site of the former school was purchased from private ownership by Amber Valley Borough Council, with assistance of a Future High Streets Fund grant.