Noted for its high levels of owner occupancy, unspoilt countryside and pretty small towns and villages, Ribble Valley certainly has the appearance of a traditional safe Conservative seat - although the Liberal Democrats have experienced some success here at by-elections.
Most of the constituency’s population is concentrated near the River Ribble in affluent settlements such as Whalley, Longridge and Clitheroe, the largest urban centre and bearer of the seat’s name prior to 1983. The rest of the seat is sparsely populated and includes plenty of attractive countryside, notably the Forest of Bowland. Tourism is a growing industry although farming is in decline as many farmers diversify.
There is some manufacturing industry here, including Castle Cement, the stationary company 3M and British Aerospace which has a factory at Samesbury.