Eastbourne
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eastbourne (
pronunciation (help·info)) is a large town, seaside resort, and borough in the non-metropolitan county of East Sussex on the south coast of England, 17 miles (27 km) east of Brighton. Eastbourne is located immediately east of Beachy Head, the highest chalk sea cliff in Great Britain and part of the South Downs National Park. With a seafront consisting largely of Victorian hotels, the pier, and a Napoleonic era fort and military museum, Eastbourne was developed by the Duke of Devonshire in 1859 from four separate hamlets. It has a growing population, a broad economic base, and is home to companies in a wide range of industries.
| Eastbourne Borough of Eastbourne |
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|---|---|
| Town & Borough | |
The beach at Eastbourne
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|
 Borough of Eastbourne shown within East Sussex |
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| Coordinates: 50.77°N 0.28°E | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | South East England |
| Non-metropolitan county | East Sussex |
| Status | Non-metropolitan district |
| Government | |
| • Type | Non-metropolitan district council |
| • Borough council | Eastbourne Borough Council(Liberal Democrat) |
| • Mayor | Mike Thompson |
| • MPs | Caroline Ansell(Conservative) |
| Area rank | 281st (of 326) |
| Population (2011 est.) | |
| • Total | 99,412 |
| • Rank | 232nd (of 326) |
| Time zone | GMT (UTC0) |
| • Summer (DST) | BST (UTC+1) |
| Postcodes | BN20-23 |
| Area code(s) | 01323 |
| ONS code | 21UC (ONS) E07000061 (GSS) |
| OS grid reference | TV608991 |
| Website | www |
Though Eastbourne is a relatively new town, there is evidence of human occupation in the area from the Stone Age. The town grew as a fashionable tourist resort largely thanks to prominent landowner, William Cavendish, later known as the Duke of Devonshire. Cavendish appointed architect Henry Currey to design a street plan for the town, but not before sending him to Europe to draw inspiration. The resulting mix of architecture is typically Victorian and remains a key feature of Eastbourne.[1]
As a seaside resort, Eastbourne derives a large and increasing income from tourism, with revenue from traditional seaside attractions augmented by conferences, public events and cultural sightseeing. The other main industries in Eastbourne include trade and retail, healthcare, education, construction, manufacturing, professional scientific and the technical sector.[2]
Eastbourne’s population is growing; between 2001 and 2011 it increased from 89,800 to 99,412. The 2011 census shows that the average age of residents has decreased as the town has attracted students, families and those commuting to London and Brighton.
