Goat Ledge Cafe Light Breakfast, Honest!

I've been mentioning the Goat Ledge Cafe many times over recent years, for example, when it reopened for takeaways after the first lockdown (blog), and in my last blog, and I keep on saying I must write a blog about the cafe soon. Anyway, I thought I'd have a light breakfast there today.

Okay, not as impressive as the light breakfast I had on the Pier recently (blog), but a similar price. The bap/bread roll/bread cake came out a wee bit flattened, so not so great to look at, but a decent amount of tasty bacon (sorry vegetarians, I'm sure they have something for you too). I've had a few drinks on the beach there too over the years, mostly with my brother and sister-in-law, and their daughters and her friends. Convivial indeed. But yes, by choice, in future I'll go to the only facility for me on Hastings Pier and a breakfast in/by Casa de Pier at the Pavilion.

Hastings: Updates, Good & Bad News, What's Going On?

I was out earlier, walking along the seafront, and saw this quite lovely view of the Channel and a cafe, Goat Ledge (website), which I really do have to write a blog about soon. It reminded me of the Hastings Pride Festival and Parade on Sunday (blog). I found out earlier that our new Member of Parliament Helena Dollimore M.P. was the first ever Hastings M.P. to speak at Hastings Pride (twitter, wants to be called X); make your own assumptions about the previous 2.

I did wonder earlier this month (blog) whether the Hotel plan for Cornwallis Street Car park would be going ahead, well, something is definitely happening there! Let's wait and see...

Whilst in the area, surprise surprise, yet another water leak, this time in St Andrews Square, and it has been dug up since before the weekend. I spoke to a Highways official this morning, and yes, he said, there is a water leak... Waiting for it to be fixed, and remember all these leaks when you are paying your water rates/bill, and a wonderful visitor to the area decided to park, basically, where she shouldn't, thankfully she left before anyone turned up to work on it, laugh stifled!

There will be an exercise launch of the Hastings Lifeboat this evening at 18.00, recovery planned for 19.00 (facebook), worth a visit if you haven't seen a launch yet!

Do you recognise this man? Seen here entering the Dolphin Inn, Rock a Nore Road, early yesterday morning after breaking in through a window, after which he stole a number of charity boxes, obviously he has no conscience or scruples! If you do know the thief/criminal please get in touch with the Police (website), or call 101 or 01273 475432 for Hastings Police.

He rode off on a cycle, tats on arms/hands, and generously left his fingerprints behind...

Murals along the Seafront...

It could be argued that it's very lazy journalism, but I keep finding things I want to write about when I read my old outlet, the Hastings Independent, OK, it is a wee bit lazy, but I had no idea why these murals were situated along the seafront to the east of the Goat Ledge Cafe...  until I read this article! 

Well, the 17 murals appear to be the brainchild of the owner of the cafe, St Leonards residents and a local project called Good Stuff (website), with the aim of encouraging local people to feel 'connected' to where they live, together with supporting local artists. More information supplied with thanks to the Hastings Independent, cheers!

🎵 Oh I do love to live beside the seaside...🎵 

Goat Ledge Cafe Reopens for Takeaway...

Update: I noticed on 19th that the cafe is opening until 19.00 now!

About 08.00 I saw activity at the Goat Ledge Cafe, so I made enquiries and they have reopened this morning for takeaways, from 09.00 to 17.00. At my time of writing they have not updated their website yet, which states they are closed until further notice, but their facebook page is up to date, and includes a photograph from half n hour ago, nice one, best wishes to the business!

Remember folk, look after yourselves and be careful out there!

Seafront and 2 Award Winning Parks Stroll...

So, a 90 minute stroll was enjoyed this morning, from the town centre, along the seafront, up through St Leonard's Gardens, over to Alexandra Park via West/Tower Road, and back down through the park to the town centre, a mostly peaceful walk, but more of that later. Here (above photograph), below Warrior Square, is the pleasingly successful Goat Ledge Cafe; winter opening 9.00am to 4.00pm (website).

Entering award-winning (blog), and excellently designed, St Leonard's Gardens (blog) from behind the Royal Victoria Hotel (above), and I found myself in an oasis of peace and quiet, indeed. Walking up...

... and you soon find the pond, literally swimming with wildlife, and it's family of moorhens make their presence felt, and one sad looking herring gull too!

At the North Lodge at the top of Maze Hill, and above St Leonard's Gardens, is the first of 2 closely assigned blue plaques, this one for author Henry Rider Haggard, who lived here from 1918 to 1923.

A little further up in Upper Maze Hill is where the father of computer science and artificial intelligence, and famous for breaking German codes during World War II, Alan Turing lived whilst at school from 1922 to 1926. In July 2019 the Governor of the Bank of England announced that Turing's face will be on the new polymer £50 note, expected to enter circulation in 2021 (Bank of England website). 

Entering Alexandra Park

I carried on up Upper Maze Hill, then crossed over via Tower Road West/Tower Road, where my peace was disrupted for a couple of minutes when 3 police cars shot up Tower Road West from Tower Road, presumably previously from Bohemia Road, 2 of them with sirens blaring (approximately 09.30 hours).

Anyway, peace returned, and I carried on to the far eastern corner of Alexandra Park (blog), another another excellently designed and award winning park in Hastings, and gradually walked back down to the town centre.

And Alexandra Park has its own fair share of wildlife, and it's own families of moorhens too, for example in the pond above. The walk was a joy!

Part 2 - Battle to Hastings via Bexhill

Having walked from Hastings to Battle we believed we deserved refreshments, especially as the day was pretty warm and, also, in-between our birthdays (a week apart), so a dual celebration and well deserved indeed! Consequently, we wandered along the High Street, a short distance from Battle Abbey to, built in the 17th century with stone from the Battle Abbey kitchen, The Bull Inn, 27 High Street, TN33 0EA, where I met someone I always seem to meet here, and sometimes in Hastings hostelries too, so not a surprise. We had a pint of ale each of course (sorry I forgot to make a note of it, but certain to either be from Sussex or Kent, so local), and a meal each too; I shall not tell you what it was, at risk of someone who knows what I shouldn't eat reading this, but good value tasty meals both, well enjoyed, cheers!

We followed the same root back southwards to Crowhurst and stopped in at the early 19th century The Plough Inn, 1 Plough Lane, TN33 9AW (facebook). Here we drank a pint each of Sussex brewer Weltons (website) American Graffiti (4.5%), a pale golden US style pale ale with hints of citrus and marmalade, dry and bitter, very refreshing!

We continued back along the 1066 Country Walk - Behill Link, this time not heading towards the Combe Valley Country Park once we'd walked under the new road, but following the newly built pathway that incorporates the old disused railway line all the way to Bexhill, where we enjoyed a coffee at the iconic De La Warr Pavilion (website).

Our final walk was towards the east, back along the seafront to Hastings where, early evening Friday (we'd had a short walk to Bexhill and back on Friday) and Saturday, we passed the Goat Ledge cafe (website) with a thriving clientele, whereas the Pier in the back ground was closed/near empty, sad, but glad for Goat Ledge, nice one!

A review of Goat Ledge is well overdue...

Hastings: Early Seafront Walk and Breakfast...

OK, I haven't eaten a full traditional breakfast for a long time now, mostly for health reasons, and I'm sure I'll be tempted very soon, but here you go. I walked to Marine Court yesterday, and on the way back I passed these providers at quite an early time. First, below Warrior Square Gardens on the lower promenade, the Goat Ledge Cafe (website), which opened at 09.00.

Second, and opening from 07.00 for breakfasts (I double checked inside!) is the White Rock Hotel (website), virtually opposite the Pier.

Then, a wee bit closer to the America Ground and Mungos (facebook page), which opens at 09.00.

Past the crazy golf course and you reach the Hastings & St Leonards Angling Association (website) which also opens earlier, at 07.30.

Next to last, west to east, and into Rock-a-Nore Road now, is the Mermaid Restaurant (facebook page), which opens at 09.00.

Finally, a few doors along in Rock-a-Nore Road, the Dolphin Inn (facebook page), which opens at 09.00 at weekends.

Please remember, this was a Saturday, some open a little later during the week.

Of course, and I have to recount this story, I passed the Pier twice, when I first went by just after 07.00, walking westwards, I stopped to have a chat with a gentleman waiting for the manager to let him on so he could fish from the end of the Pier; he had checked the day before that this was OK... Anyway, when I came back, walking eastwards, he was still waiting to get onto the Pier, and we had a shorter conversation, as was another gentleman in a mobility scooter, had to mention... 

Hastings Pier - All Fools Update!

Rumour has it that Hastings Pier is to reopen on Monday, April 1st 2019, indeed, on the official facebook page they are advertising to rent out Kiosks (huts), contact info@hastingspier.com and to hire catering and retail staff, and general assistants, send cv to the same address. If you're looking for a job, be aware that the owner has a bad record paying staff and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (blog); and don't forget that the Goat Ledge cafe is recruiting too, and they've been open all winter (blog). 

There was me thinking that the Pier was closed all winter for essential repairs, not much of that been going on, has there?!? Also, do not forget that Monday is All Fools Day!

And I just checked how our MP voted yesterday, she didn't...

Along the Seafront and the Pier!

OK, I didn't get to walk on the Pier, but some news further below. Last weekend I had a lovely walk in delightful weather, and I think I had never taken photographs from above the White Rock Hotel before, so here you are, with Beachy Head in the distance!

Oh yes, and you can see Hastings Pier below this position too, teeming with people?

Of course it wasn't, indeed, don't expect to see Hastings Pier open before May, if then, and certainly don't be surprised if it is still closed for the Easter holidays! Much has been said in the media, locally, and by the owner about the ex-Hastings Pier Charity, Friends of Hastings Pier, and the response of Hastings people to the owner, Mr Gulzar, and his mini-me companion the not Lord, please don't believe a word they say! At the bottom of this blog I have reproduced a statement written by Jess Steele, local activist and founder and director of Jericho Road Solutions, who helped Friends of Hastings Pier with their bid for the Pier, and which may help you better understand the truth.

Oh yes, I had a look underneath, nowt happening there either!

Bottle Alley has improved in recent years, I love the lighting effect in the dark, however, still much antisocial behaviour going on here (not a surprise either, many people do not seem to care about others or rules these sad days!), I didn't want to share an image of dog faecal matter, but this was the fourth cyclist to pass me, and it is clearly marked at all entry points to the lower promenade, and Bottle Alley, "NO CYCLING" 😠

By West Marina Gardens and the caravans that settle here during the year will again be moved along by Sunday for the 10.30 start, and the finish, of the 35th Hastings Half Marathon (blog from last year, and their website).

I did notice that the Goat Ledge cafe is advertising for staff, and I've given details before about their opening times (blog), and their continuing to prosper; you can find out contact details at their website, or just walk along there and maybe enjoy refreshment!

Then I saw many kites being flown, what was that all about?!?

Aha! It was the annual Fly Kites Not Drones event organised by Hastings Against War (website), part of an international campaign than began in Afghanistan.

And before I headed to the Jolly Fisherman (older blog) micropub in East Beach Street for lunch, I took a photograph of Hastings RNLI Lifeboat Station (above).

STATEMENT FROM JESS STEELE REGARDING HASTINGS PIER

February 2019

Since last summer there has been a disturbing level of polarisation within the town about the pier. I hope that this statement will help to tackle that and remind us of the positivity that was the hallmark of the campaign to save the pier. This statement comes from me as an individual and I’d like to lay out my involvement as clearly as I can.

• I was one of the local people who got together to try to save the pier in 2006 when it was closed for safety reasons due to lack of investment by the private owner Ravenclaw (based in Panama). We set up Friends of Hastings Pier as a community group to keep the pier in the public eye.
• In January 2008 it became clear no-one else was going to rescue the pier so we set up Hastings Pier & White Rock Trust. HPWRT was like the ‘midwife’ to try to deliver a different future for the pier – we focused on funding, ownership, engineering, commercial propositions, and very high levels of community involvement.
• Once we were successful with HLF funding we established Hastings Pier Charity (HPC) to take the project forward and changed the name of HPWRT to White Rock Trust to focus on the rest of the neighbourhood.
• As the voluntary Treasurer, I played a leading role in overseeing the first phase of HLF funding – including supporting the main ‘Round 2’ bid to HLF for £11.5M, helping to raise the match-funding, working with the council to achieve the CPO, and seeing the organisation through the conversion from a charity to a charitable community benefit society so that it could raise community shares.
• I resigned from Hastings Pier Charity in January 2014 as it seemed that everything was in place – the ownership, funds for restoration, the board and a staff team. I became just an ordinary shareholder, delighted that the pier was being restored.
• I got on with other stuff, including the transformation of Rock House and helping to set up Heart of Hastings Community Land Trust to achieve homes and workspaces for local people that will be affordable in perpetuity.
• I was asked by the new chair of the HPC board to get involved again briefly in 2017, in a paid role for the first and only time, mainly helping with financial modelling (it was my spreadsheets that the Administrators sent out to potential bidders). That was when it became clear that the pier operation was not financially sustainable. Faced with daunting distractions like a £1M impact storm and an underperforming private catering contract, they had lost sight of ‘Phase 2’ – the need for investment for a new building and an active programme to drive footfall and dwell-time.
• I was not consulted about the board’s decision to put Hastings Pier Charity into administration in November 2017 – the first I heard about it was the Administrator’s letter to shareholders.
• I was persuaded by others who had been involved in the original Friends of Hastings Pier that we should call a meeting for those who wanted to be active and constructive which we did in February 2018 – 60 people came, including Mr Gulzar. We then arranged a much bigger meeting on 23rd April with 500 people. That meeting voted that we should press forward trying to put together a bid that would satisfy the Administrators.
• All I can say is that we tried very hard indeed, and we tried to do that in a transparent way that involved as many people as possible. It was extremely hard work from Feb to June, entirely voluntary and generally very positive – focusing on the future while learning from the past. We mobilised lots of people to be ‘active and constructive’ (a constant theme throughout). We had all-welcome ‘tea and strategy’ sessions every Friday and lots of digital input. The business plan was available online throughout the ‘bidding’ process.

I have been told that there is confusion about what we mean by a ‘community asset’. There is no formal definition but for me a community asset is a building or land that people care about, owned by a not-for-profit organisation to retain the value for local people, and enables local people to be involved in its development. That was what we were trying to achieve. [An Asset of Community Value is a different thing set up by the Localism Act (20111). These are usually owned by a private or state owner but nominated by a community group as being of community interest and therefore given some protection at disposal].

Our bid, of course, was not successful so it doesn’t make sense to spend much time on it. But I am told that there is a misinterpretation of what we were offering. Or rather that we shouldn’t complain because we didn’t make a cash offer for the purchase. Looking back it seems obvious but there was never a time when Smith & Williamson or anyone else involved gave any idea they were looking for cash. Even the estate agent didn’t push for money – he just kept refusing when we tried to negotiate for time. They stressed over and over that what they were looking for was a sustainable future for the pier that would respect the fact that it had been saved through community effort. The ‘deep pockets’ frequently mentioned referred to someone who could sustain the losses for the first few years and invest both commercially and in the maintenance of the structure.

So we focused everything on those points – financing a transition period, planning for a significant commercial investment of new covered space, and raising enough funds to keep the pier properly maintained and insured. Our business plan included detailed financial modelling and showed that with the resources pledged and projected we could achieve all of that. Business plans are notoriously unreliable, full of assumptions that might not come true. But they’re better than no plan at all.

I’m happy to be held accountable for the quality of the bid, with all its errors and its ultimate lack of success. I still think it was as good as we could do. It would have been a leap of faith for the decision-makers to choose FOHP. It was a different blind jump they made in choosing Mr Gulzar.

Another point where clarification has been requested is my views of the administration process. The Insolvency Act 1980 gives Administrators a very wide range of powers. As far as I know Smith & Williamson acted solely and legitimately within those powers. But I found it a bewildering process. There seemed to be no clear rules to it and certainly no scope for flexibility or collaboration for the sake of the pier. Nevertheless we kept going – business planning, developing a partnership, crowdfunding, leafleting, keeping people informed, and trying to keep up morale for the pier staff and volunteers for whom this was a horrible time of uncertainty.

I sincerely regret the high emotions on the night of the sale and I apologise to Mr Gulzar if he found it upsetting. I’ll give some explanation, though not as an excuse, just for information.

15th June 2018 was a very stressful day at the end of a very stressful 6 months. The previous day we had put in our ‘final offer’ (ie the most refined version of the Friends Plan for Hastings Pier, with financial information and the draft Heads of Terms for our partnership with a commercial operator). But I woke up to rumours that the pier had been sold for £35,000, later people said it was £50,000. Maybe we had all been stupid, but suddenly ‘the penny dropped’ as it were. They were looking for cash! Well, we could do that kind of cash – I picked up my company chequebook, secure in the knowledge that other people would help fund this, we could just about cover it temporarily and we were about to hit our £500,000 target on Crowdfunder.

People began to gather on the pier to find out what was going on. The place was full of media crews swapping gossip they were getting from Eastbourne. I think the word is ‘febrile’, and it was also incredibly hot. We were there all day. At 12 noon I received an email from Adam Stephens at Smith & Williamson stating that ‘no decision has been made’. We waited until 7pm and then gave up. So when I got a call at 9.30pm saying Mr Gulzar was on his way to claim his pier I was not in the best of moods! I headed back down and we invited other volunteers to join us.

Many people have criticised my attempt to buy the pier back from Mr Gulzar. They may well be right. It’s certainly a key regret in an otherwise proud story. But I couldn’t think what else to do. It felt like there was this one last thing we could try – maybe he would say, “yes you can invest that money and we can work together”. I was very tense but quite polite.

More people have criticised the boos and shouts by the small crowd of people and I agree (I think most people who were there agree) that was a bad move. Pretty quickly, but not quickly enough, I encouraged everyone to withdraw to the White Rock Hotel. I sent Mr Gulzar this email that night:

Dear Mr Gulzar

Emotions ran high tonight so we decided it was best to give you space.

As you know we are very concerned about the future of the pier and the impact on the community of this private sale. However it will be important to explore ways of working together for the benefit of Hastings Pier.

I plan to be on the pier this Sunday afternoon. Are you available to meet to discuss your plans to engage with the local community?

Best wishes

Jess (on behalf of Friends of Hastings Pier)

I have nothing at all against Mr Gulzar. He didn’t do anything wrong, just took a perfectly reasonable opportunity. From the little I know of him I think he loves the pier and is doing his best. He has certainly taken on a challenging asset. Both within FOHP and on my own behalf I have said over and over that the issue is not with Mr Gulzar as owner. The only thing that matters is the long-term protection of the pier.

My problem has always been with the decision that a private owner would be better than a community owner. The dream for Hastings Pier was that it would be in community ownership (ie owned by people who cared primarily about the pier rather than about profit) and that would be a sustainable way forward for the long term – talking 20, 30, 50 years. After just two seasons from a late opening, I don’t think it was given enough time to prove that.

I stood down from FOHP officially in front of 100 people on 2nd December 2018. Prior to that I tried to encourage mediation. We took advantage of a voluntary offer from a local resident with a strong background in negotiations to approach Mr Gulzar with suggestions about a memorandum of understanding that would serve and protect both ‘sides’. At first it seemed that might be possible but then Mr Gulzar changed his mind and wouldn’t talk anymore. I do understand that he has been very much in the spotlight. I don’t understand why he didn’t anticipate that and take action to build bridges from the start.

To be clear I don’t think anybody should be abusing anyone else involved on social media or anywhere else. For what it’s worth, I would ask anyone that has any respect for me and for what we all did together as a community in rescuing the pier from the brink of destruction to the beauty that it is today, to give Mr Gulzar the benefit of the doubt, to support the pier now and to take the long term view. As citizens of Hastings we and the generations that come after us will need to look out for that pier. As Brighton, Colwyn Bay and too many other places can testify – once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Hastings Pier is no longer my responsibility in any sense and this will be my last comment on it. As the owner, the main responsibility for the pier now lies with Mr Gulzar, but it would be unfair to let him carry all the weight. I will always support the pier, whoever owns it. Personally I have no problem at all with the gold, the animals, even the sheds and the slot machines. These are the ephemera of any particular season – they are not the essence of the pier. It has been with us for 150 years, loved by many people in the town over the generations. I hope that we can get over these nasty divisions and focus on looking after our town – the people as well as the pier.

Thanks for reading, please share this statement to help clarify the situation and let’s go back to being the town that saved a pier.

Jess Steele OBE, 3rd February 2019

Thank you for that Jess, it helps explain much! 

Following Hastings Parkrun, sort of!

The regular Saturday morning Hastings Parkrun has been going for nearly 4 years now (blog), starting at 09.00, and finishing whenever, at Seaside Road, in front of West Marina Gardens. Because I wasn't joining in, and because I live near the centre of town, I started at the Halfway point just east of Hastings Pier, a wee bit damp earlier.

Hastings Pier, closed

OK, I soon passed the Pier, whose owner very recently was found guilty at Hastings Magistrates Court (blog) of failing to pay 'security bonds' to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in respect of 'Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and National Insurance contributions' and, consequently, "trading illegally" at hotels in Eastbourne. He was fined on 2 counts and the 2 hotel businesses were fined, £2,000 each, thus £8,000 in total. Oh yes, of course it was closed, but you can just (faintly) see in the above image that the flags that used to be flying from the centre Deck pavilion are not there anymore...

Anyway, these were the first two runners coming towards me, before turning around at the Halfway point and returning from whence they started, the lad on the left passed me first coming back, about 10 yards in front of the other, no idea who finished first.

The Parkrun is over 5km, and not meant to be competitive, as parkruns held throughout the country were started in respect to improving individuals' health. However, it is timed, so I'd imagine individual runners become competitive with themselves, trying to improve their own times, probably. Here (above) are not so fast participants.

Goat Ledge, taken just before opening

Now, I've not reviewed Goat Ledge cafe yet, maybe I should soon, but the fact the pavilion cafe on the Pier hasn't been open for ages must be good for them, as Goat Ledge has been open over the winter from 09.00 to 16.00 every day! Oh yes, and I have noticed some excellent comments and reviews of others, and saw a photograph on social media the other day of many people sitting outside Goat Ledge cafe, notably a number of Friends of Hastings Pier supporters. The opening times change at the end of March, when Goat Ledge cafe will be open every day from 09.00 until sunset.

Coming up to the Finish of the Parkrun, (earlier the Start), and some finishers are already wandering back, but, as you can see, participants were still finishing when I took this photograph. Over 300 participants took part today, plus many volunteers to marshal and time the weekly event; if you would like to find out more details of the Hastings Parkrun, participate, or volunteer to help, go to their website. Please note, if you want to participate in other parts of the country, and there are nearly 6,000 clubs around the country, please go to the Parkrun UK website.

And I wandered back to the town centre, when I actually took this photograph (more dull at my start), and I should like to add my congratulations to all who took part in the Parkrun, runners and volunteers alike, nice one!

Walking Along the Seafront (Yesterday!)

Yep, it's a bit damp at the moment, so this was yesterday, and, as you'll probably be well aware, Hastings Pier is still closed to the public, not even allowed to promenade along the Pier! I saw a member of staff take 2 workers (of some sort) over to the White Rock Hotel, presumably for breakfast, or coffee?

So, with the Pier's Pavilion Restaurant closed, along to the Goat Ledge cafe instead, for me, great little business, open from 9 to 4pm, I believe, nice one, cheers!

... further back in Bottle Alley I saw this, not sure if it's architecture or art, but quality construction, someone took time to present this, another nice one!

And it's true, the Children's Library in Robertson Passage no longer exists, luckily there's a great children's department in the upgraded Hastings Library (blog).