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Note: These pages are still under development - launch date 23rd March.

7.3. KEY FINDINGS: The Crowborough Snapshot

One of the early aspects of the healthcheck process is to undertake a ‘snapshot’ of the community. This involves gathering existing data and information relating to the economy, environment, transport and social and community matters.

i) Economy

Industries employing people in Crowborough in 2001 were:

Top three industries in terms of numbers employed are shown in bold.

• The total number of residents aged 16-74 in employment was 10,060. 83% of these were in employment.[8]
• 56% all economically active of working age were full time employed, and 19% self employed.¹
• 2% all economically active of working age are unemployed (224 residents). 22% of these are unemployed are long-term unemployed.¹
• Distance traveled to work statistics show that across all wards, for the age group 16-19 the most frequently traveled distance was less than 2km. From the age of 20 onwards, the most frequently traveled distance is 10km to less than 20km. The trends for men and women are generally similar, although women between 16-19 have a slight tendency to go further to work than the men.[9]
• The numbers of people traveling less than 2km remains relatively high (2^nd most frequently traveled distance) throughout all ages until the 60s age groups and above. Indeed in most wards the number traveling less than 2km does become the most frequent for one or more of the age groups between 40-64 years old. Another trend which takes over the most frequently recorded ‘distance’ for one or more of the age groups 60-75 (depending on the ward) is working at or from home. 2
• The nearest job centre is in Tunbridge Wells. Crowborough Business Association and the Business Group supports local businesses.
• The unemployment rate[10] is approximately 1.6% of the town of working age, however this is an average over the wards, and the difference varies between 1.1% (North ward) and 2.3% (Jarvis Brook ward). The average for Wealden is 1.7%, so Crowborough is very similar to the rest of the county.²
• Of the 127 total shops in the town centre, six (5%) were empty in Spring 2005, (although three of these were being refurbished).
• Rent for office space in the town varies between £135 to over £200 per m². Rent for industrial space is approximately £85 per m^2.
• There is a regular farmers market which takes place once a month on Saturdays.
• 36.6% 5254 of 16-74 year olds had post-school qualifications.¹
• Public toilets are located at the Croft Road car park, with disabled access and baby-changing facilities.
• There are 6 primary schools:
  • Jarvis Brook CP
  • St Mary’s RC School
  • Sir Henry Fermor CE School
  • Whitehill Infants School
  • St John’s CE School
  • Herne County Junior
  • There is 1 special school: Grove Park Special School
• Beacon Community College is the only secondary school, and is the only post-16 establishment in the town offering mostly A and AS-levels, some BTEC and GCSE courses.

© The Crowborough Partnership