(Mostly Good) News about Empty Buildings + Roadworks

The once gracious Post Office in the town centre, and the much newer University of Brighton building adjacent/behind it, are to become 41 flats and 667 square metres of commercial floorspace (The Argus). Very glad to see the old Post Office building will be refurbished, but sad that the University of Brighton couldn't find enough students for its Hastings campus. Oh yes, and where will the new inhabitants find to park vehicles?

And things are moving for business around Hastings Castle and St Mary in the Castle, 10 years ago our glittering 'Jewel in the Crown' (blog), but sadly not for the church itself at the moment. The management of Hastings Castle and the adjacent cafe by the top of West Hill lift, is now to be run by Troika Projects (HBC website), and the shopping arcade, design based on Burlington Arcade, is to become a food hall with 7 different ethnic food restaurant booths (Sussex World); Indian, Italian, Turkish, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese and Korean.

Now I do realise that there are roadworks in other parts of town, and my thoughts go out to the drivers, and pedestrians, who have to put up with them. But nearest to where I live are these roadworks by The Carlisle at the seafront, and where they go on and on, no joke...

Hastings Pier and a myth or rumour, or two?

Further to my recent blog, I can confirm that plans are afoot to try to open the pier this month, but nothing definite yet, apparently, though the Jack in the Green Programme already has Morris Dancers on the Pier on Sunday 1st May between 12.30 and 2pm; keep your eyes open for an earlier opportunity...

As you can tell from this photograph, I've been clambering around and under the Pier recently, but to the rumours alluded to above... First, there will be NO charge to go onto the Pier, excepting for attending gigs etc, so, it will be gratis, free, zero charge! If you hear anyone say anything else, and I've heard a £4 charge rumoured, that is codswallop, you can put people straight on that (I've been talking to someone very much in the know). 

Secondly, Harry Ramsden's are NOT going to be on the Pier, though there is truth behind their having been interested, but their model wasn't acceptable to the Pier Charity, Jamie Oliver had been in contact, but not for him I believe, and local trainees will gain experience in the restaurant in the old pavilion. There will be a separate cafe in the middle of the Pier, an information centre, and a bar...  

I trust this helps, it certainly hasn't dampened my enthusiasm!

A walk through Alexandra Park

Yesterday, I had a nice peaceful wander through Alexandra Park, before cyclists start thundering through the quiet and ensure a less pleasing experience! Ironically, on entering through the gate in the South West corner is the peace memorial, built after the First World War. Incidentally, there is an ongoing online petition against the cycle route...   

At the moment, there is a water quality improvement project going ahead to ensure a better aquatic environment, in a park with many lakes and reservoirs.  

Bandstand

Cafe

Alexandra Park was laid out in 1877 by Robert Marnock, already well known for designing the Botanical Gardens in London's Regents Park, and on the site of the 1830s Shirley Gardens, it covers 109 acres, and is a Grade II designated site in the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest. The eponymous Alexandra Park was opened in 1882 by the then Princess of Wales (later Edward VII's Queen Alexandra).   

Peace Garden

Miniature Railway

Dan Radcliffe, better known for the miniature railway down at the Stade in the old town, has painstakingly renovated the Park's miniature railway, which has only just reopened; great to see this resource reopen in Hastings, nice one Dan! 

Walking through some parts of the park you can imagine walking in the countryside, and not the centre of Hastings town! There are many rare and beautiful trees, and bird song filled the air as I carried on through the park. Garden birds dominate the songs, with Song Thrushes, Robins, and Blackbirds, the obvious voices, but Wrens, Tits, and even Nuthatches can be seen regularly too.

Although, ducks are seen on the various waters, this being Hastings, gulls are more prevalent, though other aquatic birds do live in the park, water fowl, such as Coots and Moorhens, for example, and you may be lucky and see a beautiful Kingfisher too; indeed, Swans, Herons, Cormorants, and even an odd Bittern or two may appear now and then! 

If you carry on Northwards, you will reach, later added, and even wilder, Coronation Wood, Little Roar Waterfall and Old Roar Ghyll, for a greater taste of nature...

I enjoyed my day! If you would like to find out more about Alexandra Park, or become involved with the Friends of Alexandra Park, have a look at their website.

My weekend, and much walking...

My brother visited at the weekend, and, as ever, we walked a fair bit, hence my not being around so much to write blogs, sorry...

Started off at Battle on Saturday (train from Hastings to Battle) and walked south to Crowhurst and St George's, the parish church (website), where we ate our first sandwich of the day, before going to...

The Plough, where we drank a pint of the decent 4% Long Man Best Bitter (website).  

Then we carried on towards Bexhill, though with a couple of deviations, due to the building of a Bexhill/Hastings link road (website), that added a few miles to the walk! This photograph was taken from a grid reference of about 756106.  

Anyway, we finally reached Bexhill, and saw our first Cornish flag of the day...

And, at the house I call the Bexhill Flag Raiser's, saw this ensign, presumably because of the 2015 Eastbourne Air Show (website), of which we spotted quite a few planes towards the west, including the Red Arrows...

We then returned to Hastings, where we searched for somewhere to watch the football on television, to no avail (though I today discovered that it was on at the Wellington in the High Street), but Dan wanted to try the FILO Pirate Gold (5.8%) anyway, so we visited the First In Last Out, where we enjoyed a nice pint or two before heading home.  

On Sunday, we just walked to Cooden Beach and back, as Dan had to catch a fairly early train home, so, passed the ever-developing Pier (website)...

Then saw this new cafe, by the old lido, that I'd never seen before (so new, obviously!). 

At Bexhill, we saw even more flags, no idea what this is about!

We had a coffee each, and an excellent piece of carrot cake, at the wonderful Art Nouveau/Modernist De La Warr Pavilion (website), always a delight to visit, sit on the balcony, and watch the world go by, not to mention the boat races this Sunday!

Then we headed off to Cooden Beach, before returning to the Albatross Club (RAFA club) at Bexhill seafront, of which I happen to be an Associate Member, so reasonably priced ale, and free roast potatoes on a Sunday, thank you very much!

And another excellent local ale we enjoyed too, the 5.5% Franklins New Zealand IPA!

And the Dutch tricolour had been added since the morning!

The new cafe was now open too... Anyway, Dan caught his train home, and I visited the Dolphin Inn yesterday evening, but that's another story, cheers!