God's waiting room en · PROPN
Etymology
Given to places which are seen as having high populations of elderly people. The "waiting room" name refers to their lesser time left to live due to their old age.
Meanings
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(UK, informal) The town of Eastbourne, East Sussex.
In recent decades the town has been nicknamed "God's waiting room" for its large population of pensioners, while a recent study using Office for National Statistics data found Eastbourne to be the third most miserable place in the country.
2024 July 26, Greg Dickinson, “How "God's waiting room" Eastbourne got a new lease of life”, in Daily Telegraph:The reputation of "God's waiting room" applies to about one road in the whole town. Loads of people moving from London and farther afield (we moved from Oxford four years ago) as it’s a great place for young families.
2018 March 23, Tom Dyckhoff, quoting Stuart Reid, “Let’s move to Eastbourne, East Sussex: "Things may be changing"”, in The Guardian:I wanted to remove these old notions of [Eastbourne] being known as "God's waiting room" and its "Zimmer frames down the seafront" vibe.
2023 April 5, Kerry Spencer, quoting Joe Hill, “Exciting times for trailblazing gallery as it marks 100 years”, in The Argus, page 19: