By . Steve Doughty . Eastbourne has become the first place in the country to boast a population with an average age of more than 70. The Meads district of the famously genteel East Sussex town was identified by the Office for National Statistics as having the oldest residents in England and Wales. Named by officials as Eastbourne 012B, the well-heeled area has a population with an average age of 71.1, compared with the national average of 39.7. Eastbourne has become the first place in the UK to boast a population with an average age of more than 70 . Meads councillor Barry Taylor said: ‘We don’t feel old. I’m 67, so I’m a bit young, but I still work and I’m going to keep on working. So do a lot of other people in Meads. ‘People are living a lot longer than they used to, and they are a lot more active. This is a wonderful part of the world and we don’t make enough of it. ‘We are very lucky. We have the Downs and beautiful countryside, we have the sea and we have clean air, and it’s pretty quiet.’ Mr Taylor, who represents the Tories, added: ‘There are some on the council who are very keen on attracting young people to the town, and that’s fair enough. But they ought to think about doing more to attract retirees. This is a superb town to retire to. ‘It’s true that there are a lot of older people without much money, but there are plenty who do have some. They bring prosperity to the town.’ Eastbourne started attracting retirees 150 years ago, following the building of a railway line (file picture) The ONS calculations are based on the 2011 census but have been updated to give estimates for the middle of last year. The Meads area, which has around 1,500 residents, stretches from the Royal Eastbourne Golf Club to the sea. The town, which has a long reputation for respectability, started attracting retirees and convalescents 150 years ago, following the building of a railway line. Other areas with older-than-average populations include East Devon and Christchurch and Poole in Dorset. A district of Morecambe Bay in Cumbria and an area of Downham Market in Norfolk also made the top ten. The youngest districts, according to the ONS, are in Salford, Horsham in West Sussex and Bracknell Forest in Berkshire.
Meads district of town has oldest residents in England and Wales .
Average age of the district 71.1 compared with national average of 39.7 .
By . Steve Doughty . Eastbourne has become the first place in the country to boast a population with an average age of more than 70. The Meads district of the famously genteel East Sussex town was identified by the Office for National Statistics as having the oldest residents in England and Wales. Named by officials as Eastbourne 012B, the well-heeled area has a population with an average age of 71.1, compared with the national average of 39.7. Eastbourne has become the first place in the UK to boast a population with an average age of more than 70 . Meads councillor Barry Taylor said: ‘We don’t feel old. I’m 67, so I’m a bit young, but I still work and I’m going to keep on working. So do a lot of other people in Meads. ‘People are living a lot longer than they used to, and they are a lot more active. This is a wonderful part of the world and we don’t make enough of it. ‘We are very lucky. We have the Downs and beautiful countryside, we have the sea and we have clean air, and it’s pretty quiet.’ Mr Taylor, who represents the Tories, added: ‘There are some on the council who are very keen on attracting young people to the town, and that’s fair enough. But they ought to think about doing more to attract retirees. This is a superb town to retire to. ‘It’s true that there are a lot of older people without much money, but there are plenty who do have some. They bring prosperity to the town.’ Eastbourne started attracting retirees 150 years ago, following the building of a railway line (file picture) The ONS calculations are based on the 2011 census but have been updated to give estimates for the middle of last year. The Meads area, which has around 1,500 residents, stretches from the Royal Eastbourne Golf Club to the sea. The town, which has a long reputation for respectability, started attracting retirees and convalescents 150 years ago, following the building of a railway line. Other areas with older-than-average populations include East Devon and Christchurch and Poole in Dorset. A district of Morecambe Bay in Cumbria and an area of Downham Market in Norfolk also made the top ten. The youngest districts, according to the ONS, are in Salford, Horsham in West Sussex and Bracknell Forest in Berkshire.
Statistics as having the oldest residents in England and Wales. Named by officials as population with an average age of 71.1, compared with the national average of 39.7. Eastbourne has