Hastings Fat Tuesday Tour 4th March 2025

Tomorrow evening, Tuesday the 4th of March is the day, Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday, whatever you want to call it, and Hastings hosts the biggest Mardi Gras festival in Britain: For the Fat Tuesday Tour 24 acts will be playing at 3 venues each from the following 12, from the Carlisle in the west/town centre to the Dolphin Inn in the east/old town, and all free, but don't forget to drink!😉

Albion, 33 George Street TN34 3EA;

Hastings and St Leonards Angling Association, Marine Parade TN34 3AG;

Carlisle, 24 Pelham Street TN34 1PE;

Dolphin Inn, 11-12 Rock-a-Nore Road TN34 3DW;

Dragon Bar, 71 George Street TN34 3EE;

First In Last Out, 14-15 High Street TN34 3EY;

Jenny Lind Inn, 69 High Street TN34 3EW;

London Trader, 4-7 East Beach Street TN34 3AR;

Lord Nelson, 1 East Bourne Street TN34 3DP;

Porters Wine Bar, 56 High Street TN34 3EN;

Pump House, 64 George Street TN34 3EE;

Royal Standard, East Beach Street TN34 3DW.

Each of the 24 acts will play 20 minutes sets in 3 of the venues, and each venue will have 6 acts, from 8.00 pm until 11.00/11.30 pm; please go to the Hastings Fat Tuesday website for greater detail for each act and each venue. In addition, from 8.00 pm until 1.00 am, opposite the Lifeboat Station at East Hastings Sea Angling Association, The Stade TN34 3FJ, will be the Reggae Room.

If you want to play it by ear, just walk around the Old Town and don't be surprised by the quality of free live music available, have fun and party. However, I recommend people consider their favourite venues and what they sell drinks-wise, consider who they'd like to see, then decide on getting to one venue early, and stay there, it will be busy!

For full details of all events (there is more!) go to the website.

If you haven't already read it, I wrote more about Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras and the history of Mardi Gras in last Thursday's blog.  

Enjoy free live music and party folks!

Hastings Fat Tuesday Tour 13th of February 2024

Tomorrow evening, Tuesday the 13th of February is the day, Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday, whatever you want to call it, and Hastings hosts the biggest Mardi Gras festival in Britain: For the Fat Tuesday Tour 24 acts will be playing at 3 venues each from the following 12, from the Carlisle in the west/town centre to the Dolphin Inn in the east/old town, and all free, but don't forget to drink!😉

Albion, 33 George Street TN34 3EA;

Hastings and St Leonards Angling Association, Marine Parade TN34 3AG;

Carlisle, 24 Pelham Street TN34 1PE;

Dolphin Inn, 11-12 Rock-a-Nore Road TN34 3DW;

Dragon Bar, 71 George Street TN34 3EE;

First In Last Out, 14-15 High Street TN34 3EY;

Jenny Lind Inn, 69 High Street TN34 3EW;

London Trader, 4-7 East Beach Street TN34 3AR;

Lord Nelson, 1 East Bourne Street TN34 3DP;

Porters Wine Bar, 56 High Street TN34 3EN;

Pumphouse, 64 George Street TN34 3EE;

Royal Standard, East Beach Street TN34 3DW.

Each of the 24 acts will play 20 minutes sets in 3 of the venues, and each venue will have 6 acts, from 8.00 pm until 11.00/11.30 pm; please go to the Hastings Fat Tuesday website for greater detail for each act and each venue. In addition, from 8.00 pm until 1.00 am, opposite the Lifeboat Station at East Hastings Sea Angling Association, The Stade TN34 3FJ, will be the Reggae Room.

If you want to play it by ear, just walk around the Old Town and don't be surprised by the quality of free live music available, have fun and party. However, I recommend people consider their favourite venues and what they sell drinks-wise, consider who they'd like to see, then decide on getting to one venue early, and stay there, it will be busy!

For full details of all events (there is more!) go to the website.

If you haven't already read it, I wrote more about Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras and the history of Mardi Gras in last Wednesday's blog.  

Enjoy free live music and party folks!

Macmillan Nurses, London Marathon Donation Forms at...

The shirt that Paul has had Debbie's face printed on for the London Marathon, where he ran in her memory and for Macmillan Nurses, Sussex. As I said before, forms were at various sites around the old town; and they have now been collected in: 

The First In Last Out (FILO), 14-15 High Street.

The Dolphin, 12 Rock-a-Nore Road.

The Jenny Lind, 69 High Street.

And, if you didn't fancy entering a pub, the Old Town Cobblers, 64D High Street. 

Paul is grateful for all the donations made, and confirms that all monies received have now been sent to Macmillan Nurses, Sussex, many thanks! I shall post further when receipts have been received from the charity. 

Debbie McSweeney R.I.P.   

Only 4 days to go!

Only 4 days to go, and Paul will be running/limping/crawling the London Marathon, whatever, he has promised to complete the race, and he's already run well over a dozen marathons in his life, but this one has more importance for him, being in honour of Debbie McSweeney. As I have said before, there are collection boxes/sponsorship forms at the Old Town Cobblers in the High Street, and at 3 pubs, the FILO and Jenny Lind in the High Street, and at the Dolphin at Rock-a-Nore... 

All donations would be much appreciated, with all proceeds going to Macmillan Nurses (Sussex). Latest news on the marathon is at their website.  

Vacancies available...

By Steve the Beermeister 

While the FILO, Dolphin, and Duke of Wellington, all report a crackin' time was enjoyed yesterday evening, many historic pubs across Hastings are currently seeking new landlords/landladies/licensees/managers, notably the Stag in the old town, the Dripping Spring up in Bohemia, and the General Havelock in the town centre! 2 pubs owned by Enterprise Inns and the other owned by Shepherd Neame...

What is going on?!?

Paddy's Night in Hastings!

So... Where is there a celebratory Paddy's Night in Hastings this evening? 

The Dolphin, down at Rock-a-Nore, always has 'traditional' oirish music provided by the 'Tune Raiders' on a Tuesday evening, whether it's St Patrick's Day or not... Also, I was assured earlier, that the Irish landlady, Bev, at the Millers Arms in Winchelsea Road, Ore, also means there will be something special going on there this evening. There is music at the FILO in the 'Old Town' High Street and the addition of a guest to the group playing tonight, 'Stone Junction', means a wee bit of 'fiddle dee dee' is highly likely too, and Adam suggested to me there may be an Irish influence in the restaurant there this evening, and where I was served a lovely pint of the FILO Cardinal Porter by the persuasive Elina, before I took this photograph...   

Just down the road from the FILO, the Duke of Wellington is certainly looking geared up for Paddy's Night, there's music, though I'm unsure how oirish it will be, though the 'complimentary boiled bacon and cabbage' looks to be making an effort! Most Shepherd Neame pubs appear to be offering cheaper Guinness and Jamesons Whiskey, and some are giving away those silly Guinness hats; I've already seen some customers wandering around wearing them... and most of the bars in the town centre also seem to be selling Irish drinks cheaper, notably Guinness and Irish whiskey... 

No doubt I've missed places out, but please feel free to add a comment about other 'parties', but, whatever, enjoy the 'craic' this evening and Sláinte! 

Stacey Marie RX134 as a backdrop!

Recently, I saw one of my favourite retired boats at Rock-a-Nore, the Stacey Marie, RX134, (facebook page) being used as a backdrop for photographs, as were nearby net huts etc, so I had a chat with the 2 young women in question to see what was going on! 

They were photographing quilts designed and made by Ness Mann (website), as you can see from these photographs, since shared with me. The boat was originally built in the 1940s in Newhaven (her original registration was NN39) and is now part of the Fishermen's Museum's collection, and is tended to by a couple of local lads.

Daniela Exley (website) was the photographer, many thanks for the images! The Stacey Marie was originally called "Linda" and was built as a punt, becoming a decked boat in the 1950s, using a government grant from the White Fish Authority; the original owners were the Grant brothers, who fished out of Eastbourne. A tragic accident, when one of the brothers was swept overboard and drowned, saw the remaining brother sell the boat to Jack Edmunds, who brought the boat to Hastings in 1961.   

This photograph provides a wee hint that the boat needs a fresh coat of paint and re-varnishing, which the Stacey Marie page assures us will be happening soon. Back to the history... Jack Edmunds sold the boat to Rod Knight in 1976, who renamed her "Andrew Peter" after his 2 sons. Rod sold her on to Robert "Podgy" Ball in 1985, who then renamed her "Stacey Marie", and she was the oldest working fishing boat on Hastings beach when she was retired in 1997.

Here is the rather large anchor that is situated next to Stacey Marie, opposite the Dolphin pub, the landlord of which is one of the boat's guardians. Anyway, she was acquired by Hastings Fishermen's Museum in June 1999, and is now on display in front of the Fish Market at Rock-a-Nore.

  

This is a very recent photograph of Stacey Marie (and the anchor) with the market behind, and taken by a good friend, Marcus J Lamb-Bentley, cheers Marcus!

See also the Hastings Fishermen's Museum/Old Hastings Preservation Society website for more details of their exhibits and much much more.

From Dawn till Dusk - The Day After

Early on the day after Fat Tuesday saw the often unrecognised heroes, the workers, clearing the streets of the debris left by those who revelled into the early hours, it also saw this gorgeous sunrise. I spoke to publicans in 2 Old Town hostelries, in 1 of which the Fat Tuesday organisers were celebrating the success of the event, enjoying lunch in the FILO, cheers to Bob et al! Here, Adam, son of Mr Bigg, said that the FILO was extremely busy on Fat Tuesday (which I can vouch for!) and the variety and quality of the music was "second to none!" As usual, many of the visitors to the pub appeared to be trawling venues, or following particular acts...    

Thanks to Fat Tuesday peeps for this photograph

Mark Little, though, found that many people settled for the evening at the Dolphin, maybe because of their good variety of real ales on the bar, as 4-5 firkins of ale were consumed in the evening, ie well over 300 pints of ale, with wine getting a good drinking of too! Or maybe just because the Old Town was heaving, people being turned away from bars in George Street in particular, due to the large numbers already filling them. Mark added that it is a "testament to the people of Hastings that they filled so many venues, that the atmosphere was electric, and there was no trouble."  

Whatever, it was a hugely successful event again and, despite the cold, it remained nice and dry. Anyway, I thought I'd add a couple of photographs obtained from Google of how people in warmer parts of the World enjoyed their Mardi Gras, the photograph above being from New Orleans, with its especially music oriented event, as in Hastings...   

Or, where it is even warmer, as obvious from the photograph above, ie in the more catholic country of Brazil; it's on my bucket list, by the way, certainly at festival time!

Oh yes, to dusk...

Looking forward to next year already!

Harveys Dray visit 2015 - Photographs

I was out in the wilderness on Saturday, walking with my brother, so I've borrowed these from photographs posted to facebook of the visit of Monty and Winston, and the dray... 

   

... and in Normans Road too... With many thanks to Pam Greenstreet, Jayne Marsh, and the Dolphin for their photographs, cheers!

Good News!

2 pieces of good news locally. First, yesterday I had a chat with someone who knows the family of the young lad who fell from the West Hill last week, and he is out of danger, here's to a speedy full recovery, good luck to him! 

Second, Laura of the Dolphin, at Rock-a-Nore, had a baby girl a week ago today, she came in at 7lb 10oz, and I would have said something sooner, but was waiting to find out her name, which still hasn't been disclosed... Anyway, congratulations to Laura and Lee on the birth of their young lass, who I shall temporarily call "Wee Stockley!"

Harveys Dray to visit Hastings

The Harveys Dray is to visit Hastings this Saturday lunchtime and early afternoon (7th February), travelling from St Leonards to the Old Town, mostly along the front. I'm not sure of all the hostelries it will be stopping at, but one of the first, if not the first, is the Horse & Groom at St Leonards, also visiting the White Rock Hotel, London Trader and the Dolphin at Rock-a-Nore, among others, I'd imagine.   

Monty and Winston

These photographs are from the visit made at the beginning of May last year, and more can be found out by searching the Harveys' website. 

Hastings Winkle Club award goes to...

Yesterday evening the Hastings Winkle Club (website), supporter of local causes and charities, not forgetting famous members past and present, awarded The Dolphin pub at Rock-a-Nore with... 

Marl Little, the landlord of the Dolphin, was pleased to receive the award of "Best Collection of a Pub in 2014", ie the money collected in the collection box at the Dolphin was more than that collected in any other pub in the area! So, congratulations to all those who donated, as well as to the Dolphin, Mark and his family and staff... proves what a great bunch of folk work and drink down opposite the Fishermen's Beach! 

The Trophy was awarded, together with a certificate signed and dated 'Richard Read, Chairman, 5th January 2015', but the Winkle Club is yet to announce the total of monies collected at the Dolphin, or monies collected overall. 

Whatever, congratulations to a great cause! 

RX134, Stacey Marie

RX134, Stacey Marie, is the retired fishing boat that sits opposite the Dolphin pub at Rock-a-Nore, Hastings, which is now looked after by the Fishermen's Museum, and a couple of local volunteers, Mark and Steve, when nesting herring gulls aren't preventing work (NB all species of gull are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981).  

RX134 was built at Newhaven in the 1940's for the Grant brothers, one of whom was Alfred "Puff" Grant who named the boat "Linda" after his Grand-daughter; the boat's original registration was NN39 (Newhaven registration). The boat was built as a punt, becoming a decked boat in the 1950s, thanks to a grant from the White Fish Authority, a government scheme set up to rebuild the country's fishing industry following World War II. 

The Grant bothers fished from her out of Eastbourne until the early 1960s, when a tragic accident saw one of the brothers swept overboard, whilst his brother was below deck. The body was later trawled up at Hastings, a sad reminder of how dangerous commercial fishing still remains, RIP. 

Jack Edmunds brought the boat to Hastings in 1961, where she became registered at Rye, and thus became RX134. Jack sold her to Rod Knight in 1976; who re-named her "Andrew Peter" after his two sons.

Robert "Podgy" Ball later bought her in 1985 and gave her the name "Stacie Marie". RX134 worked until 1997, when she was the oldest boat working from Hastings beach (many thanks to the Fishermen's Museum for this photograph). 

In June 1999 she was acquired by Hastings Fishermen's Museum and was placed on display at Rock-a-Nore in front of the fishing huts to the west of the Museum, where she can now be seen in all her splendour, having had her colour changed from blue. 

Information has been provided for a facebook page, and this article, by Hastings Fishermen's Museum at Rock-a-Nore, and retired local fisherman, Jimmy, who can often be seen in the Dolphin, admiring the view and drinking a pint or two, many thanks to all. 

See Hastings Fishermen's Museum at www.facebook.com/fishermensmuseum   

Stacey Marie's facebook page is at www.facebook.com/Rx134  

The Dolphin

By Steve the Beermeister

This is an updated and topical version of my first article published in the Hastings Independent many months ago (expect many more), and I chose the family-run Dolphin pub at Rock-a-Nore, because it had been named the South East Sussex Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Pub of the Year for 2 years in a row. The local CAMRA people do not consider pubs after they have won twice in a row, so we may have to wait for a bit longer before it becomes pub of the year again. Shame they don't just chose the best pub, rather than handicap their choice in such a way, but, hey! CAMRA has some very strange ideas, and members, and I should know, being one... 

So, a 'seasonal' photograph from the Dolphin's balcony, OK, we're very unlikely to see snow in Hastings for a while, if at all, this winter, but I do like this photograph, which I took a couple of winters ago.  

Apart from considering the quality of the ales, how else does CAMRA chose their 'best' pubs? Importantly, they take into account how their 'champion' integrates with the local community. In this respect, the Dolphin raises thousands of pounds every year for local charities, is closely connected to Hastings Fishermens' Museum and has been instrumental in the refurbishment of the Stacey Marie, their retired fishing boat sited opposite the pub (more of very soon), members of the RNLI regularly visit for social events, the pub gets involved in old town festivals such as Fat Tuesday and the Pram Race, and is at the start of the Jack in The Green May Day procession, opening earlier than usual on that day, to provide refreshment for participants and observers, and local musicians regularly play here, do I need to go on? 

Indeed, there is a variety of live music performed here 3 nights a week, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evenings, and a quiz for charity on Thursday evenings. Food is served every afternoon, and on Mondays the kitchen reopens at 6pm for a 'Fish Supper' deal, where the price of the fish (from Hastings fishing boats whenever possible), hand-cut chips and mushy peas, includes either a pint of beer, glass of wine, or a soft drink. 

Of course, the Dolphin also sells liquid refreshments, soft drinks, wines, 'mulled' wine for December through to the end of January (Mark the landlord's own recipe), spirits, numerous keg beers, including 3 of the newer 'trendy' craft ales, and, of course, what I'm keen on writing about... It sells 6 cask-conditioned ales, and what better way to write about finding such beer in Hastings than visiting the recent champion public house? The Dolphin sells 3 regular ales, 2 from East Sussex brewers, Harveys Sussex Best and Dark Star Hophead, and Youngs Special.  

There are also 3 regularly changing guest ales, very recently these have included Sussex brewer King's Wonderland, a "Winter Pale Ale", a 4.1% very pale bitter with a fruity aroma, good body and a dry finish, not bad at all! Also, from further afield, ie Devon, Hanlons Snowstorm Festive Ale, a 5% "strong winter ale", with a deep amber colour, similar taste to a typical 'old ale', slightly sweet maltiness, plenty of flavour, and a dry finish. Or, if you're very lucky, they may just have a few pints left of either the West Yorkshire brewers, Saltaire's Winter Ale or award winning (though not so seasonal) Cascade Pale Ale.

There are a number of brewers who continue to produce ales of quality regularly, and a few of them in Yorkshire, including Saltaire Brewery. The Winter Ale is a 4.9% darkish amber ale, they say with "toffee accents", but I have no idea what that means! Though I could detect a slight caramel flavour from the malt, and a hint of spice from the Challenger and Brambling Cross hops, all in all, a very good beer of its type. I tried their Cascade Pale Ale yesterday too, which uses Centennial hops as well as Cascade hops, and is described as an "American style pale ale"; good old Saltaire do provide much information on their pump clips! Whatever, it is a 4.8% pale golden bitter, with a fruity aroma and flavour, but more peach rather than the grapefruit I expected, pretty damn drinkable too...    

All of this is why the Dolphin is regarded as a fine example of a community pub, and why it won the CAMRA award twice in a row, and why I have commenced my search for beers of and in Hastings and East Sussex here. Before I go on, I'll add that Harveys Sussex Old Ale is currently on sale at the Dolphin too, and shall be for the next couple of months. Anyway, I trust I do still have your interest, because I shall be looking at local pubs and the local brewing industry over the coming months and years.

Oh yes, and I shall be developing further my research into the older public houses licensed in and around Hastings, as I have mentioned in recent blogs, so much to do, cheers!