Hastings, sometimes called Hastings and St Leonards, is a town and Borough status in the United Kingdom on the South coast of England, in East Sussex. It includes originally separate settlements such as Ore, East Sussex and Hollington, East Sussex, as well as the inevitable growth of the town through the building of new estates.
In historical terms, Hastings can claim fame through its connection with the Norman conquest of England; and also because it became one of the medieval Cinque Ports. Hastings was, for centuries, an important fishing port; although much reduced, it has the largest beach-based fishing fleet in England. As with many other such places, the town became a watering place in the 1760s, and then, with the coming of the railway, a seaside resort.
The town is sometimes referred to as"the birthplace of television" since the pioneer of television, John Logie Baird, lived at 21 Linton Crescent from 1922 to 1924.
The attraction of Hastings as a tourist destination continues; although the number of hotels has decreased, it caters for wider tastes, being home to internationally-based cultural and sporting events, such as chess and running. It has set out to become"a modern European town" and seeks to attract commercial business in the many industrial sites round the borough.
