Doing Business in Andover

Andover is the largest town in the Test Valley Borough and traces its history back to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle of the 10th century. It acquired the status of town and borough by a Royal Charter in 1175 and, in stage-coaching days, was an important stop on the London-Exeter route, sometimes called 'The Gateway to the West'.

Its status as a quiet country market town changed dramatically from 1961 when the Andover Borough Council entered into an agreement with the then London County Council and Hampshire County Council to move industry and people to Hampshire. New housing developments were planned to cater for a large increase in population, industrial estates were laid out and schools, shops, roads and other amenities followed. Then, under the Local Government Reorganisation of 1974, Andover, with Romsey and Stockbridge, became part of Test Valley District Council (later to become Test Valley Borough Council).

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