Festive Fun Day - Sunday.

For a Sunday that looks to be damp (Met Office), Priory Meadow has arranged a Festive Fun Day, I'll copy & paste details from their website below, but I suspect the weather may well mean that its organisation may be a little different on the day:

FESTIVE FUN DAY, SUNDAY 27TH NOVEMBER, 10AM – 4PM

Our Christmas Shopping Festive Fun Day is back this month!

Sunday 27^th November between 10am and 4pm there is free festive entertainment for all the family to enjoy throughout the day whilst Christmas shopping, with a magical atmosphere, live music, Father Christmas and even The Grinch!

OUTSIDE – LIVE MUSIC AND STREET FOOD

You’ll find a stage in Queens Square by our 35ft Christmas tree with a fantastic local line up.

Kick starting the festivities is White Rock Theatre, who are bringing along some of the cast from this year’s must-see pantomime, Beauty and the Beast. Local panto legends Tim McArthur and Ben Watson will be providing all the laughs, and White Rock Tiddlers will be taking to the stage too.

Lea Goddard, The Coverups, and HPO Brass will also take to the stage with a host of Christmas tunes.

Take a seat on one of our many benches, grab a bite to eat from The Swing Grill, El Changarro or Khalid’s Kitchen and sit back and enjoy the shows.

INSIDE – FATHER CHRISTMAS, CRAFTS, THE GRINCH, FACE PAINTING AND MORE

Inside the shopping centre you’ll find even more festive delights, such as free face and glitter painting by Fantasy Face Painting, and a children’s Christmas card making activity run by the Glow Baby team.

It wouldn’t be a Christmas event without Father Christmas. Meet the jolly man himself outside Marks and Spencer for free throughout the day and take a photo with him in his sleigh. Plus keep an eye out for his wife, Mrs Claus, who will be wandering around handing out delicious complimentary treats and surprises.

A cantankerous, green, fluffy misery will be roaming at intervals spreading his grumpy charm… The Grinch will be attending with his usual mischief and trying to ruin Christmas!

Our charity partner of the year, RNLI, will be joining us for the festivities. Donations to the charity are greatly appreciated.

Centre Manager, Andy Harvey, said: “We hope you can join us for what is going to be a very festive Christmas shopping experience this December, something you certainly can’t enjoy when shopping online.”

Please note all entertainment is subject to change or be cancelled at any point. Acts are performing at scheduled intervals throughout the day.

Hastings the Happiest Place in Sussex - Official! Plus more...

Indeed, Hastings has been rated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) as the happiest place to live in Sussex, with a happiness rating of 7.9, which is above the national average of 7.45 (Sussex Live). If you want to know more about the research, and comparisons to other 'well-being' statistics and areas of the country, go to the ONS website. It appears the really happy English live in Hexham up int' north, and Brits? Well people in Northern Ireland are the happiest, makes you wonder about the Brexit fuss on that side of the Irish Sea! But good news for us still.

Back in September I gave a very unsubtle hint about the takeover of The Italian Way by Rocksalt (blog), well it is now well and truly open, and has been busy when I've passed it whilst open, this image is from earlier this morning. And it most definitely sells Italian style food still, with just the one burger, the Rocksalt Italian Burger!

I've written a few times about the closure of St Mary in the Castle (for example, blog), not such good news, and looking into the restaurant yesterday (above) cleared of trappings, it looks pretty bleak, so for here, still not so good news, yet...

To cheer me up I took a photo of the lights in the town centre early doors, Hastings Council does like to illuminate early every year, but it does look nice. 👍

Oh yes, and the issue of 39-41 George Street, where scaffolding had blocked the road for ages until removal 2 years ago (blog), well, it's still boarded up (above), but approval has been given for the demolition of the former amusement arcade and nightclub. In its place the construction of ground floor commercial units with 20 flats above has been approved (Sussex World), see the image below of how it should then look.

That's all from me today folks, enjoy the weekend!

Sussex Brewery Dark Star to leave the county...

 By Steve the Beermeister

Sad loss of Sussex brewery...

Since Fullers took over Sussex brewery Dark Star, we saw early problems when Fullers tried to brew Hophead at their West London Griffin Brewery to maximise production. Subsequently, brewing of Dark Star's full range of ales was returned to Partridge Green in West Sussex (website). Then Japanese giant Asahi took over Fullers (blog), and a little under 4 years later, the sad news is that the brewery at Partridge Green is to be closed down, maybe we should have seen that coming, it shouldn't be a revelation...

Because the brewery at Partridge Green is operating "significantly below capacity" it is to be closed down (not increase output there) and the brewing of Dark Star's range of beers is be moved to another Asahi acquisition Meantime Brewery in South East London. A spokesperson for Asahi suggests that the Dark Star beers will remain 'exactly as they are today' being brewed to the same recipe, but we all know what happens when beers are brewed away from their origins and water supply, 'tis not promising. A good short history of Dark Star Brewing and details of this sad news was written by Jessica Mason at the drinks business, worth reading.

Not great news, but it's what happens when accountants take charge... 😢

The Bale House: Cost of Living Menu!

Already serving up excellent value meals, the Grumpy Cook at The Bale House Visitors Centre, which I blogged was opening last year, is introducing, from the 21st of November, a remarkably great value Cost of Living Menu (above). This is at Hastings Country Park, Lower Coastguards Lane, Fairlight TN35 4AD (facebook).

A friend commented that people who need help are unlikely to visit here, but why not? What a great reason to walk across our wonderful Hastings Country Park, thus improving fitness and health, and with a good value meal to boot, great stuff!

Sussex Wildlife Trust Photo Competition Winner!

I shared details of the Sussex Wildlife Trust's Photo Competition for their 2023 calendar in a blog back in August. I have now received details of the winner, which is of a damselfly (above) and was submitted by Brian Watkins, congratulations to him!

The runner up is a photograph of a fox submitted by Anthony Thomsett, nice one!

For more details go to the Trust's website, and congratulations to all who took part!

Hastings Pier: Apparently New Management for 2023?

Well, I shared my concerns for the future of Hastings Pier, as furniture was being sold off, in a blog at the beginning of the month. Then I was reassured by a couple of friends that they have sold off the benches etc each year they've managed entertainment on the Pier, so no problem really (blog).

I've since seen on Sussex World (website) that on the Pier's official facebook page they have said the Pier is not closing down, but will be "getting new management" and should re-open by April, but I can't see that comment on facebook, I can only see comments from people saying how sad and thanks for the last 2 years. 

I'll keep my eye on what's going on... 😟

Hastings Philharmonic & Food - Saturday 5th November

OK, I have to admit it, the image above is one I took of a Hastings Philharmonic concert from last year, however, I forgot to take a photograph on Saturday... Again though, I visited the quite majestic 19th century Christ Church, Silchester Road (corner with London Road) St Leonards TN37 6GL (website) for their Autumn Concert 2022. Oh yes, and my niece was singing at both 'gigs' which started this time with the rousing Magnificat in D by Bach, then My Heart is Inditing by Purcell, and finally Te Deum by Charpentier. Excellent!

Before the concert my brother and I treated my niece to a 'snacky' meal at Reel (website), the restaurant within Kino-Teatr,  43-49 Norman Road, St Leonards TN38 0EG (website), agreeing that we didn't fancy anything too heavy beforehand. I'd never visited here before, but was waiting for an opportunity, and it was not far from the church, so I suggested here, and we were all very pleased with the choice. So, convivial chat, a drink, and we shared 3 of the starters and a bowl of fries, and very tasty too: House Pate and Toast, Spicy Chicken Tacos and House Hummus and Flatbread. 👌

I excuse myself as the photographs haven't come out too well, apologies, but I'll blame the lighting 😉 and above is the entrance to the cinema, within a gallery beside the restaurant, nothing compares to you! 👍

We saw a few fireworks on the way home too... 🎆

Hastings Borough Council Job Opportunities

5 job opportunities are currently available with Hastings Borough Council (website).

Deadline 11 November 2022:

Senior Lawyer Enforcement & Litigation;

Senior Lawyer Contracts & Procurement.

Deadline 14 November 2022: 

Casual Sport & Physical Activity Worker;

Civil Enforcement Officer.

Deadline 23 November 2022:

Strategic Contracts & Performance Manager (Rough Sleeper Initiative).

For details of all positions go to their website.

Bohemia Creative Quarter First Sunday!

On Sunday (6th November) the Bohemia Creative Quarter (BCQ) regular first Sunday of the month event is being held again. The event will be from 11.00am to 4.00pm in the Bohemia/London/Tower Roads triangle, an area consisting of 80 or so businesses.

There is a facebook page for the group and, as the image above suggests, expect creative workshops, live performances, wellness and beauty, affordable art, home decor, music, antiques, bric-a-brac, street food, fancy dress and vintage stalls. You are invited to visit and explore the Bohemia area of Hastings & St Leonards...

Maybe Hastings Pier News Not So Bad...

Indeed, maybe the news about Hastings Pier isn't as bad as I had first suspected (blog), since writing that blog I have received messages from 2 sources, a friend on twitter, Fee, and another on facebook, Helga, who both have told me the same promising news, many thanks! That is, the management team who have been running the pier's entertainment venue the last couple of years sell off the furniture and buy new furniture, benches etc., when the lease is renewed the next year, fingers crossed a new lease is offered to them again in 2023... 😌

And, who remembers fishing from the pier? OK, maybe not that long ago (above, and many thanks again to Sandra Bryant for sharing that image nearly 5 years ago - blog)!

But, for example, 5 years ago (blog), when the weather was a bit friendlier than today, and certainly compared to the previous photograph too!

'tis a shame the resource that is Hastings Pier hasn't been used by anglers for a few years now, and not by anyone the last month plus... 😞

Anyway, hopefully a bit more promising news for us.

Bye Bye Hastings Pier?!?

What is it about Hastings landmarks being lost? Now, and I'm just guessing, but if 53 benches, and 52 PED barriers, are being sold off (Hastings Pier facebook page), what are the chances that the lease for Hastings Pier is being renewed for 2023? 

Concerned of Hastings... 😒