Cheddar is a thriving village at the foot of Cheddar Gorge, where the River Yeo flows out from the famous network of caves under the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, towards the Somerset Levels. Local trade includes farming, quarrying, tourism, a wide range of support businesses, and there is also a business park. Cheddar has three schools (First, Middle & Senior), and also significant numbers of retired residents. It has several churches, many pubs, takeaways, cafes and restaurants, a bank, post office, building society, a range of independent shops, a supermarket, convenience stores and petrol stations, serving a population of about 6,000 (greater when summer visitors are here).
The village also has a number of teams for football, cricket, hockey, and many other sports, based at Bowden’s Park football ground, the Sharpham Road sports pitches, or at Cheddar’s sports and leisure centre.