Dudley is located in the county of West Midlands and is 9km southeast of Wolverhampton and 16km north-west of Birmingham. It was historically an industrialised market town and administration centre. It later developed into the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley. Dudley is also the capital of Black Country. In recent times, the industry of Dudley grew to include retail and the Bean Cars factory. The majority of the local retail shops are owned and operated by locals and enforce a strong local pride in the community. Local tourist attractions include the Dudley Zoo and the Castle which was the 12th century priory ruins and the Black Country Living Museum.
