Hastings Pier Update

I have now walked on Hastings Pier for the first time this year and was very pleased to see someone fishing from the east side of the pier, nice one, and I just saw on their facebook page that there is a dedicated area for fishing between 09.00 and 18.00, at a fee of £6 for one rod and £10 for 2 rods 👍  

Otherwise, there's still plenty of empty space, as you can see from my photograph, although there has been a fairground for small children at the end nearest land, the other side of the Deck Pavilion, way back there! Oh yes, and a French Bistro and bar looks far away from what I could see in the pavilion, and they still appear to be working on the west pavilion/Italian Restaurant, but there are a number of huts now taken up.

👌

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.

Hastings Pier: Enjoy it whilst you can!

Yes, fingers crossed it can go on, but Mr G has only leased the Pier to the present management until the 4th of October, let's hope the lease can be extended, because...

The present management have ensured there are things to do for everyone on Hastings Pier (facebook)) including rides for children, LIVE MUSIC, fishing from the end of the Pier, food and drink from 08.00 hours, indeed, the Pier is now open from 08.00 until 23.00 hours, which means it can be enjoyed for 15 hours a day, every day, which is more than was available under Mr G's management!

OK, it looks empty because I took these photographs at about 08.30 this morning, but food & drink was already available, there were about 10 people fishing from the end of the Pier, and I took all these photographs then, including the one above that shows the extent of what is the largest 'beer garden' that I have ever seen!

There has been live music on Hastings Pier from Friday afternoon until Sunday evening most weekends since the lease was granted to people who appear to know how to entertain us, weather permitting, indeed this weekend starting with Live & Unlocked on Hastings Pier from 16.00 hours until 23.45 hours (facebook).

Fingers crossed the present management do get a lease extension, I've missed walking, drinking, enjoying the views, and the lad I spoke to seemed a decent lad...

Good luck for that extension!

Fishing from Hastings Pier Update.

My apologies for being a few months late sharing this (though not since this photograph was taken, and many thanks again to Sandra Bryant for sharing this image), but I only realised how big the changes to rules for fishing from the Pier have been since the Administrators took over running Hastings Pier (see below) after speaking to Paul (facebook)... Essentially, on the days when people are more likely to have time off, and children can participate, they are the days fishing has been banned from the Pier, ie at weekends, public holidays, and school holidays! What kind of administrator/manager would create such rules?!?

Helps emphasise just how important it is to ensure Hastings Pier remains in the ownership of the local community, as I've said numerous times, and we've less than 9 days now to help raise necessary funds (see blog), although the Friends of Hastings Pier are trying to raise alternative funds too, not least by inviting the Foreshore Trust to seek ownership of the Pier. If you haven't already, or know someone who is willing to pledge funds towards this project, please go to Crowdfunding, many thanks!

Fishing from Hastings Pier Update.

I saw this dramatic older image of fishing from the pier on The Hastings Pier Appreciation Group's facebook page, posted by Sandra Bryant, many thanks!

As I've said before, details of current fishing hours from Hastings Pier can be found on the Hastings Pier Fishing facebook page, together with further information and photographs of impressive fish caught from the Pier, and are:

8am – 5pm Sunday to Thursday 
8am – 10pm Friday & Saturdays

If you want to fish from the Pier, permits can be purchased from Paul's Tackle, 38 White Rock TN34 1JL (facebook page and tel no: 01424 433404), which is just a couple of minutes walk eastwards from the Pier, and you can also find out up to date information from him (he's a friendly and knowledgeable chap), not to mention fishing tackle and bait can be bought there too, you may not be surprised to see! 

There are discussions going on at the moment about night fishing from the Pier, the main problem I believe, is that there needs to be some security presence whilst people are on the Pier, and this costs money obviously. Also, it has been announced that fishing is allowed now from both the east and west sides of the Pier.

Fishing from Hastings Pier, plus nearby Beach Huts!

Hastings Pier 

This morning I had a few miles wander along the seafront, I saw a Red Admiral... on the 6th of November! Also a few people fishing, walking westwards earlier, I had made a detour to the end of the Pier and chatted to a few lads fishing there, and as I turned up, one of them caught a small Bass, I'd brought them luck, their first fish of the day!

On my way back later I thought I'd see if I could bring them even more luck and, as you can see, the five of them were still there when I returned just before midday. Whilst I'd been gone, they'd caught a couple more bass, couple of plaice, whiting and sole, and another fish that I can't remember what it was (I'd taken no notes). Then, there just for a few minutes chatting, they were very friendly gentlemen, and another bass succumbed to the bait, slightly larger than the earlier one I hadn't taken a photograph of!

Bass, just before being returned to the water

Anyway, details of current fishing hours from the Pier can be found on the Hastings Pier Fishing facebook page, together with other information and photographs of even more impressive fish, and are: 

8am – 5pm Sunday to Thursday 
8am – 10pm Friday & Saturday’s

If you would like to fish from the Pier, permits can be purchased from Paul's Tackle, 38 White Rock TN34 1JL (facebook page and tel no: 01424 433404), just a couple of minutes walk eastwards from the Pier, and you can also find out up to date information from him, not to mention fishing tackle and bait is available there too, you may not be surprised to discover! I had a short chat with Paul earlier too, and he said hours of fishing from the Pier may change soon, so keep a check on the facebook pages.

As you can see from this photograph, twelve new beach huts have arrived on the beach east of the Pier, newly built and newly painted (I saw them being painted there, last week I think). I doubt they'll be used now until next spring/summer, but I wonder if they'll remain in situ over the winter, or will they find a place to hibernate, like the St Leonards/Azur Pavilion beach huts do? 😉

Fishing from Hastings Pier

This morning 08.40, and, OK, it may not be obvious, but there, at the end of the Pier, are people fishing; sessions until the 1st of November 2017 are, Monday to Friday: 

Monday – Wednesday: 8 am-7pm

Thursday - Friday: 8am-10pm 

Rules are: 

Anglers to keep where they are fishing clean and tidy.
Take their rubbish home with them.
Wash down their fishing area with bucket & brush provided when they leave.
Sign in and pay at Paul's Tackle, 38 White Rock, TN34 1JL (tel: 01424 433404).
When entering the Pier before 10 am, entrance is through the West gate. Close the gate behind.
Overhead casting only, no pendulum casts.
When leaving the fishing area to obtain refreshments etc, all tackle must be removed from the water and hooks must be un-baited.
Use toilets provided.
No Radios, or portable stereos.
Alcohol prohibited.
No drugs.
No Smoking.
No unaccompanied under 16 year olds.
Catches to be dispatched in a humane manner.
No fish to be gutted on the pier.
Catches to be retained in bags or buckets, out of public view.
Bait cutting boards to be used at all times.
Anglers must agree to catch bag inspections, refusal will mean a ban.
Please weigh and photograph specimen or large fish, for pier records.
Duty Manager, bailiff or security guards decision is final.
Hastings Pier takes no responsibility, as fishing is carried out at own risk.

I hadn't realised fishing from the Pier had recommenced, there you go!

Weekend Fun in Hastings:

Cinema on the Pier returns this evening with Back to the Future, Titanic tomorrow, and Mamma Mia on Sunday. Tomorrow and Sunday, there are Zooquarium Music Festival auditions for 14-24 year-olds; on Sunday and Monday there are Punch & Judy shows at 11.00, 1.30 and 3.00 pm; and from Monday there are Half-term Family Workshops each day; see website for further details. Of course, there is still Fishing from the Pier, go to Paul's Tackle shop, 38 White Rock, for further details and permits.

Music is your first love? OK, plenty on... this evening (Friday), music at the Carlisle, Royal Standard, Whistle Trago, Black Cat, Dolphin Inn, Marina Fountain, Jenny Lind, and Rufus Stone at the Palace. Tomorrow evening (Saturday) sees Sam Calver & Friends (unique line-up, the drummer tells me!) at the Dolphin Inn, and music at the Palace, Printworks, Black Cat, Brass Monkey, Marina Fountain, Standard, and "Stars from the Commitments" at the White Rock Theatre. Mostly earlier starts on Sunday with music at the Black Cat, Marina Fountain, White Rock Theatre, Jenny Lind, Albion, Brass Monkey, and Cushty at the Standard from 5pm. Enough for you? 😉

Of course, you may just want to explore the old town, or walk along the seafront, indeed, promenade on Hastings Pier, explore Alexandra Park, or relax in St Leonards Gardens, or just sit back outside a seafront bar, or on the Pier, watching the world go by... Or visit the Fishermen's Museum or Hastings Museum & Art Gallery, or Castle and Smugglers' Adventure, or Monsters' Week at the Blue Reef Aquarium, from tomorrow to the 4th of June (website).

Whatever you do, slap on the factor 50, and enjoy your weekend!

Hastings Pier Vintage & Retro Indoor Market

Added to the ongoing Fishing from the Pier, Camera Obscura - Make a Sketch, Hastings Pier Yarn Bomb, bars and restaurant, not to mention promenading on the Pier, this weekend sees the return of the Vintage & Retro Indoor Market in the Memories Room of the central Deck Building from 11am to 5pm both days; See website.

Fishing from the Pier still, plus video...

I saw this on the Paul's Tackle facebook page, which said that there are "loads of fish coming off the pier this week...every day... the best catch was to Bill and his mate on Tuesday...80 fish and 8 different species, including Flounder, Plaice, Dab, Whiting, Rockling, and Pouting... Only reason they packed up was because they ran out of bait!" 

There is also a video on youtube about fishing from Hastings Pier, well worth watching. 

Remember, details of fishing and permits can be found at Paul's Tackle, enjoy!

A Gorgeous Public Holiday Monday!

I went out for a walk yesterday, but became inhibited by my chest infection, so cut it shorter to a wander along the seafront...

A lad preparing to fish from the Pier...

The new groynes look pretty pathetic, considering the size of the boulders used!

The drainage pipe is leaking considerably!

The wonderful RX134, Stacey Marie..

Very strange cloud formations, there's a dog there, plus a wee dolphin!

The Red Ensign at the Fishermen's Museum being raised, and..

It's raised!

A close up of the dog and dolphin, and, sadly, just afterwards, I found out that two porpoises had landed dead on the beach on the 1st...

This weekend includes...

As always, plenty to do in Hastings and St Leonards, including, at the Lifeboat Station by the Stade today, you are invited to start "the Christmas Season with Coffee and Cake! Tea, Coffee and refreshments plus Cake Stalls! Gifts for sale and Tombola too, A Capella Group 'Now & Then' singing at 12:00, and Hastings Old Town Ukulele Group playing Christmas songs at 13:00... See the lifeboats too!" (website)

Neverland continues on the Pier, with the Snow Slide, Pirate Ship, music, fishing, and much more, including workshops, a Gingerbread competition and a Christmas Market from Sunday 11th; for full details of all that is going on see their website.

Enjoy the weekend, here's hoping the rain stays away!

2-4 December, another packed weekend!

This evening, and tomorrow and Sunday evenings, from 5pm to 8pm, sees the Hastings Old Town Traders present 3 Nights of Christmas; for more details see events page.

Now in its third year, Hastings Illustration Festival (HiFest) will be taking place on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th December 2016 (11am to 6pm) in a new venue, The Printworks at 14 Claremont; see website for full details.

And lots more as usual, including, on the Pier:

Neverland at Christmas continues, the Snow Slide, Fishing from the Pier, the Pirate Ship, the Hastings Pier Festive Trail, a Vintage and Retro Indoor Market this Saturday and Sunday, you can now buy christmas trees on the Pier too, and, of course, you can promenade on the Pier; further details at their website.

Have fun!

Another Full Hastings Weekend, Fun and Terror!

As usual, there is plenty happening in Hastings this weekend, and we all know about the decent pubs, and music in pubs and bars, that will be enjoyed, but, in St Leonards, during Saturday daytime, there will the Frost Fair, see internet link.

In the town centre, at Priory Meadow, there is the annual Christmas ice rink...

On, and from, Hastings Pier, mucho stuff happening too! The Snow Slide, Neverland at Christmas, the Pirate Ship, Fishing from the Pier, and so much more (website).

And the terrorists?!? Well, the Cycling Fascists appear to have decided to break the law, yet AGAIN, as in, many cyclists are happy to jump traffic lights, and pedestrian and zebra crossings, on the odd occasion that they actually do use the road (which they're allowed to use legally), many don't use the cycle lanes they have been crying out for for years, and many prefer to use footpaths, as it is so much easier to ride into pedestrians, very soft targets, obviously...

and they now appear to be ignoring the fact that the cycle route through Alexandra Park hasn't actually been approved yet! The Borough Council does not seem to be supporting the safety of nature lovers, pedestrians, mothers and pram pushers who enjoy the Park, indeed, a shame if it ever does get approved (council website), let's trust the County Council looks after the law abiding people of Hastings, pretty please!

Be very careful on Sunday... cyclopaths/psychopaths are on the loose!

A weekend of fun and frolics starts today!

Starting today, on Hastings Pier, and running until the 2nd of January 2017, is Neverland at Christmas, yes we really are talking about Christmas already! This includes fun for children and adults, with rides, festive kiosks, food, a pirate ship, a covered Christmas Market and a snow slide (website); there are also other events, details of which can be seen on the website, and fishing from the pier continues too. Oh yes, and Lego have suggested they may create a Lego Hastings Pier, if you'd like to see this happen, apparently they need 10,000 votes at Lego Ideas site, so get your votes in!

Starting today, at Hastings Motor Boat & Yacht Club, at the end of Rock-a-Nore is the Hastings Fleadh (Festival of Traditional Irish Music and Song - facebook page), from 8.30pm. On Saturday, music starts from 11am in the Jenny Lind, High Street, and at the Stag Inn, All Saints Street. 

Of course, the usual music venues continue with their own gigs, and the museums, pubs and clubs, castle, parks, aquarium, and other amusements remain open, mostly. And, if you're up for a wee bit of high culture, The Nutcracker is on at the White Rock Theatre on Saturday evening (website).

Have fun!

November Fishing from the Pier.

Pictured is Peter Cornwell (left) with a 4lb bass, and David Freeman (right) with a 6 ½ lb bass, both caught off Hastings Pier on live whiting. Details for fishing from the Pier is on the Hastings Pier Fishing facebook page, from which this photograph has been copied, many thanks, or ring Paul's Tackle shop on 01424 433404. 

Fishing 7 days a week:
Day fishing £5 x 1 rod, £8 x 2 rods)
Monday-Wednesday: 9am - 4.30pm
Thursday: 9am - 8pm
Friday: 9am - 9pm
Saturday: 8.30am - 9pm
Sunday: 8.30am - 5pm

Limited to 20 anglers at a time.

Bookings and payments taken in advance or on the day on a first come first served basis through Pauls Tackle Hastings:
Tele: 01424 433404

Night Fishing, I do believe, is just Friday and Saturday nights, unless another event is being staged on the Pier, but check with Paul for day and night fishing arrangements.

A much quieter weekend to come...

Well, it'll be a much quieter weekend than of late, though the fireworks last Saturday could have been much more impressive, as weather conditions meant that some of the more spectacular fireworks available couldn't be set off, oh dear... The trains should be back to their usual self, as in, just unreliable rather than rare, and the regular attractions remain, of course, eg museums, parks, castle, aquarium, etc etc... and music et al in pubs like the Dolphin Inn, for example, Friday and Saturday evenings, and the Pier:

From the Pier you can fish all weekend, with the required bookings, of course, all day plus night fishing tonight (Friday) and Saturday; see my earlier blog regarding more complete details. In addition, the Pier is hosting exhibitions and family science workshops over the weekend, see their website. 

Whatever you do, have a good weekend!

Fishing from the Pier

I happened to meet Paul (from Paul's Tackle) by chance yesterday, when walking up on the West Hill, who told me that 17 people (I seem to remember, though I didn't actually make a note at the time, but it was either 17 or 18!) fished from the Pier over Saturday night, and had a fair catch, including many mackerel... This didn't surprise me as, on our way back from Bexhill, walking along the seafront on Saturday, we saw 2 young lads pulling in 3-5 mackerel each time, fishing from the beach near St Leonards, I have no idea what they were going to do with so many fish, but they were highly successful!

Also, not long ago, I had seen Paul at his shop and he had described the good catches from another night session, when a group of lads had caught 3 bass between them, each of 7lbs plus! Also caught were a 2.5lbs sole,  3lb rays, whiting, and mackerel. For details of October fishing from the Pier, go to an earlier blog; you'll note that there won't be night fishing this Saturday though (15th October), due to another event...