Humpback Whales!

If you haven't seen a Humpback Whale swimming off the Sussex Coast recently, I guess, like me, most of you have heard about it. I've seen video taken from Hastings Pier of a whale on facebook, and this video on YouTube had Brighton spectators pretty excited! I've had a communcication from the Sussex Wildlife Trust, providing information about the importance of humpback whales and reasons why we are seeing them in local waters more regularly. Indeed, if you do spot a humpback whale, or any other marine mammal off our coast, they ask that you please report this to the Sussex Dolphin Project. Keep your eyes open folks, many thanks!

Town Centre, Couple of News Items.

Many times I've written about the ongoing building of the hotel in Cornwallis Street (eg blog), see image at bottom, well, the road is vlosed off from the South Terrace end, which I imagine hasn't made Pissarro's too happy, but the entrance from St Andrews Square has been opened for visitors to the garage back there, but no parking room available for anyone else, oh well, and...

I meant to wrote about this last week too (apologies for delay), but Greggs in Queens Road has moved. I saw it was closed in the early morning, but walked by again in the early evening and took this photograph, it has enlarged slughtly to 2/4 doors back down Queens Road!

Walley's and Pickled, Queens Road.

Opened a couple of months ago, Walley's, 191 Queens Road, Hastings TN34 1RG (website - my image), where the laundrette used to be, sells plants, stuff to do with plants, and some less perishable Greek foodstuffs. It opens from 11.00-20.00 Wednesdays to Saturdays and 11.00-17.00 Sundays; closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Downstairs, is Pickled, their Greek restaurant:

This is a bar too, and the style of food served in Pickled (facebook) is meze/mezze, the Greek equivalent to Spanish tapas. The reason why I have posted this blog is, not just that it's new, but that a number of different groups of people I know have eaten there and have all shared glowing reports. The images immediately above and below are from their facebook page.

I've been told that the food quality is very good, and at a reasonable price too; the meze/side dishes range in price from £6.50 to £7.50, and 'Pickled Classics' from £7.00 to £10.00. The image above looks toward the attractive garden area, which can be accessed from St Andrews Mews whilst open, and will become a great boon during warmer months I have no doubt, nice one!

The outside garden area peaking in from St Andrews Mews,

Foreshore Trust Grants for Voluntary/Community Groups

The Hastings Foreshore Trust will offer awards of up to £6,000 for grants to support smaller voluntary and community groups in carrying out activities, services and events that benefit and support the local community within Hastings & St Leonards. This round of funding is for events and activities that are set to happen between April 2025 and March 2026; go to the website for more details and how to apply. You have until Friday the 17th of January 2025 to apply.

Stamp Out 'Spiking' Drinks in Hastings!

There has been plenty of publicity about 'spiking' drinks and the legal consequences in recent years, eg the Stamp Out Spiking website, and advice on how to recognise if your drink has been 'spiked' eg Greenock Telegraph, a few years ago, this is not new! A couple of nights ago a Hastings woman could have died when falling from a balcony following a 'spiking' of her drink in the Old Town, and our thoughts are with her. Whoever 'spiked' her drink had better hope the Police find him/her before the local population does, any information please call 101.

New Year Dark Beer Festival!

Indeed, from today to Sunday (3rd-5th January 2025), The Jolly Fisherman, 3 East Beach Street, Hastings TN34 3AR is holding a Dark Beer Festival (facebook): Opening at 13.00 today, and 12.00 Sat/Sunday.

There will be a large choice of styles amongst the cask and keg beers available, includes:

Stouts and Porters.

Other dark beers from abroad, and Belgian style brewed in UK.

Mild Ales and not so strong. But, whenever you visit, whatever you drink, do enjoy Hastings this weekend, and enjoy the Festival, cheers!