News...

News from Hastings Old Town Residents' Association's Spring 2017 Special Newsletter, and not only concerning the old town...

There's more in the newsletter than this blog contains, but, some news and information I thought are worth sharing include that Hastings Borough Council's Aquila House is now called Muriel Matters House, named after the Australian-born suffragette who lived for 20 years in nearby Pelham Crescent from 1949 to 1969 (though it still said 'Aquila House' on the outside of the building this morning).

Important for people living in the old town is that revised plans have been submitted to the council's planning committee for the 'Rock a Nore Surgery' at the old Ice House; that is, a health centre for 2/3 GPs, treatment rooms for physiotherapy etc, a pharmacy, 'healthy eating' cafe, gym, and possibly a dentist and/or an optician.

There are proposals for a new free play facility at the west end of Pelham car park; it is hoped that a 'water play' area will be open this summer (don't hold your breath!).

Parking Income: This was something I wasn't completely aware of, but, the seafront car parks are owned by the Hastings & St Leonards Foreshore Charitable Trust, Hastings Borough Council own the Bourne and other off-street car parks, and on-street parking is operated by a contractor on behalf of East Sussex County Council... Interesting, indeed!

No Jamie Oliver, now no Health Centre!

It was disappointing when finding out that Jamie Oliver's team were not impressed enough that they would turn the former Ice House in Rock-a-Nore Road into a restaurant, now, on reading the Hastings Old Town Residents' Association's latest news letter, planning permission has been refused by the Council to turn this into a state of the art Health Centre, copied from HOTRA's October Parish News:

"Briefly  their reasons are 1] lack of available parking and poor patient access; 2] loss of existing use as tourist accommodation; 3] not enough provision for waste."