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Lowestoft Online - About Lowestoft
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Overview
Lowestoft, the most easterly town in the United Kingdom, was established as a fishing village in the early 14th century but the decline in the fishing area has seen a substantial decrease in the number of vessels fishing from our town. The town enjoys a reasonable level of tourism in the summer months with a large number of tourist attractions in close proximity - the most significant being our award-winning beaches where the Lowestoft Seafront Air Festival is held annually which has attracted in excess of 400,000 people over two days.
Lowestoft has had a tough time in recent years. Growing population and the growing shortage of jobs has put a strain on the local economy. Numerous regeneration projects have seemingly had little affect on a town with growing apathy from it's residents - on the contary to what our local council would admit to, of course! It's not all bad, of course. There are opportunities for those that have the will to take them and a relatively low cost of living makes Lowestoft an appealing place to live. Get more opinions on our Forum
Local Government
Lowestoft has no council of it's own. Rather, it comes under the control of Waveney District Council (named after the local river and the valley in which it runs through) and Suffolk County Council. Read more about Local Government
Statistics
According to the 2001 Census, Lowestoft had a population of 57,746. With significant local housing developments in recent years, this figure is more likely around 75,000. We have more statistics on population, crime and property. Read more Statistics
Geography
Lowestoft is home to the UK's most Easterly point, Ness Point and is marked by the 'Euroscope' - "a unique circular platform that shows the direction and distances of major European towns and Great Britain's other cardinal points". The town sits between the Eastern-most point of the Norfolk Broads (Oulton Broad) and the North Sea.
The nearest city to Lowestoft is Norwich, in Norfolk. It's approximately 30 miles from Lowestoft and is linked to by road and rail. It's also the home of our nearest airport, Norwich International. London is a little over 100 miles away.
The town is split in two by Lake Lothing, a body of water that adjoins Oulton Broad and the North Sea. The North and South sides of the town are linked by two bridges (Mutford Bridge in Oulton Broad and the Bascule Bridge in Lowestoft town centre). The talk of the need of a 3rd crossing has been the most prominant subject of local debate for decades. With no firm plans on the horizon for a 3rd crossing, despite the unquestionable need for one, it should be of no suprise that this subject is one of the most frequently discussed on our Forum. Read more about local issues on our Forum.
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