History of Eastbourne
Victorian Beginnings
Known as the Empress of Watering Places, Eastbourne is a prime example of a perfectly planned Victorian seaside resort.
Beginning in the mid-l9th century, Eastbourne emerged from being a scattered community of hamlets; they consisted of Bourne (Old Town), Southbourne (around Grove Road), Meads and the Sea Houses (Marine Parade). And under the direction of the two main land-owning families, the Gilberts with 956 acres and the Cavendishes, 2,625 acres, the town started to take shape as a fashionable town.
Tourism Develops
The railway was connected to the town in 1849, opening up the area to tourism. In 1850 Terminus Road was laid over what was formerly a muddy path to the sea.
The promenade was built and the pier opened in 1872. By 1883, Eastbourne's population reached and surpassed the necessary number 22.000 and the town's local board successfully applied for a Charter of Incorporation; the Borough of Eastbourne was born. By1901 the population had increased to 43,344 and the town was established as a major resort, and in 1903 the local authority unveiled the first motor omnibus service in the country.
The development was picked up again in 1918 and the next 20 years saw the establishment of the Towner Art Gallery (1924), the Bandstand (1931) and numerous parks and gardens.
Post World War 2
Eastbourne has continued to expand since the end of the Second World War with the development of major housing estates at Old Town, Langney and Hampden Park. In 1963 the Congress complex was opened, providing the town with its fourth theatre and venue for the conference trade which has flourished in the town since the 1920s. A new shopping centre were opened Terminus Road in 1981 and in 1993 the Sovereign Harbour retail and residential complex was opened.
2007 Changes
This year the town opened a new watersports centre on the Eastern promenade to replace the old Spray Watersports building that existed, offering fantastic facilities for use all year round plus a great base for the town's annual extreme sports festival. The town has other new developments in the pipeline too, including a state of the art Cultural Centre, scheduled to open in spring next year, offering a contemporary style art gallery and additional conference exhibition space. The town centre is also to undergo a huge redevelopment worth £100 million to be completed by 2011.
Redefining the perception of coastal conurbation's as 'one horse towns' solely reliant on tourism for their economic vitality, Eastbourne has a vibrant and growing economy with key strengths across a number of sectors. Of course, as a premier resort town with over 4 million visitors a year the tourist industry is central to Eastbourne's present and future economic prosperity, however it is just one part of a varied economic fabric.