Friday 15 March 2024

2024/25 Council Tax Bill


Yes, indeed, my 2024/25 Council Tax Bill came through the letterbox this afternoon, unsurprisingly it's gone up again, this year by an overall 4.7%. January saw the last official British inflation rate at 4% and it was projected to drop over the year. So, the rise is slightly more than the inflation rate at the moment, but of course, prices have increased significantly more than 4% since March 2023.

Adult Social Care has the lowest increase since last year at 2%; East Sussex County Council, Hastings Borough Council and East Sussex Fire Authority have all had increases of 3%; as usual, the amount of increase gone to the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner is higher, that is by 5.4% (remember this when you're told more money is being spent on increasing the number of police officers).

Local elections coming in May, General Election soon-ish?!?


Hastings America Ground, The Musical!


Bob Tipler (and I've borrowed most of this blog from Bob's facebook account) and John Knowles have written a play with songs loosely based on the history of the America Ground area of Hastings (blog), which Bob says is "an allegory concerning today’s housing crisis and issues of land ownership."

With support from Historic England and a supporting grant from Arts Council England, they have nearly reached the funding required to professionally stage the play this coming June, with a cast of local actors and musicians. There will soon be a push for the final bit of crowd funding and sponsorship required.

There’s a reading of the synopsis of the play with a performance of five of the songs next Wednesday 20th March during the Trinity Triangle Heritage Showcase at the Hastings Observer Building, 13-21.00 hours (eventbrite). Tickets are free and their America Ground synopsis is due to start at 8pm.

Should you wish to go along here’s a link to sign up.

PS. The America Ground The Musical is my invention, I have no idea what they will be calling it, but would be amazed if it's the same, you never know! 😉

Monday 11 March 2024

Total Loss to East Sussex of Dark Star Beers...

By Steve the Beermeister:


Hmmm... Yes, the brewing of the Dark Star range of ales is moving yet again! It began when Asahi bought up Fuller's (blog), which had previously taken over Dark Star, and then started brewing Dark Star Hophead at the Griffin Brewery at Chiswick to 'maximise' production. On realising that Hophead just wasn't up to scratch whilst brewed in West London, brewing Hophead was returned to the Dark Star brewery at Partridge Green. Then! Asahi decided to close down the Dark Star Brewery at Partridge Green and move brewing of Dark Star ales to the Meantime Brewery in South East London (blog).

Meantime had trouble getting the formula right and Hophead again began tasting nothing like Hophead, but recently it seemed like they'd sorted it out and the quality of Hophead improved again, thankfully. But now Asahi have decided to 'maximise' again, indeed, have decided to close down the Meantime Brewery in South East London (The Drinks Business) and move all brewing to the old (Fuller's) Griffin Brewery in West London... 😣 It doesn't bode well for the future of the quality of ales with Asahi I'm afraid, although, apparently, there's some sort of plan to have a smaller brewery and brewing experience in Greenwich (The Drinks Business). 

We'll wait and see what happens, but a sad loss to East Sussex...


Friday 8 March 2024

Mo's Lounge in St Andrew's Market

And, although it wasn't open when I walked through St Andrew's Market earlier, the Smoke Shack Bar & Grill (blog) has been replaced by Mo's Lounge, it appears...


I shall have to visit for research purposes, obviously 😉, and the opening times are Thursday 5-11.00pm, Friday 5pm to midnight, Saturday 2.00pm to midnight, and Sunday 12-10.00pm; apparently not open Monday to Wednesday. 🍹



Hastings Pier Open Again -ish...

YES, I got onto Hastings Pier this morning too! Hence this nice view looking westwards towards Marine Court from by the Pavilion.

And the Pier's facebook page is providing information regarding the build up to more being open and available on it, for example, that Mackay's Amusements will be returning from the 16th of March... 


And, what must have contributed to the sad closure last year, much too soon after its opening, of the Deck Building and La Belle Vue (blog), which translates as 'Beautiful View' and who's view was definitely not so good with the obstructions that arrived with the live music later last year! Anyway, as you can see in the photograph above, the end of the pier is again blocked off as preparations are again made for live music from the Easter weekend (facebook), so the Pier is definitely opening up again!