Some Good News!

Yes really, some good news, if you enjoy playing minigolf with people from the same household anyway... 😉 From tomorrow, the 3 courses of Hastings Adventure Golf are re-opening! Planned for 10.00 hours, the re-opening would still have to follow Government guidelines, of course, social distancing will be observed, for example, presumably players will be asked to play in twos mostly, and not advance to the next hole until players in front have moved on. I have a few friends chomping at the bit!

OK, the next bit of news will not be news to many readers, but this morning I was surprised to see a group of people, who looked like Health Service personnel, queuing up for the ground floor door to the Ice House  to open. Indeed, Hastings Old Town Surgery has at last moved away from the Roebuck Centre and is now down at Rock-a-Nore. News to me, and not bad news at all, hopefully news for some of you!

Hastings keeps on keeping on, stay safe folks!

The "Ice House" - Democracy wins!

Great to read one of the local councillors, Dawn Poole's post last night, : "Have just spoken at this evening's planning committee in support of the application for a GP's surgery in the Ice House. Despite planning officers recommending refusal the committee listened to myself and the chair of HOTRA and voted to allow the application and a state of the art surgery be built for old town residents. Still work to do to improve accessibility but a huge achievement for local residents."

Congratulations to HOTRA and to Dawn, nice one! 👍

How to upset your voters, HBC...

Already upsetting older people in the Old Town by telling them that they need to walk up the hill to Clive Vale to see their GPs, now, I saw yesterday, the Hastings Old Town Hall Association has been passed by finally (see my previous blogs) so that a commercial indoor 'playground' called "Discovery" takes over the space; see my blog and their website. Although the website suggests it opened in 2016, I walked past and noticed that redecoration was in process, so presume it will open soon, good luck to them...

 

Meanwhile, regarding residents in other areas, hygiene, and toilet provision, voters all over town are demonstrating and setting up petitions, in Ore, St Leonards, the list goes on. Most people will be aware of the continuing problem of dog mess all over town, I didn't think you'd appreciate a suitable image here, so I've just photographed a small corner of St Andrews Square in the town centre, which has regularly seen 'fly tipping' here, despite 3 huge bins in the diagonally opposite corner of the square, and which has been a mess for weeks now! Oh yes, and there are planned closures of public toilets in Ore and in the town centre, councillors had better be careful who they upset with their monetary savings, even if national government stimulated, if they wish to be re-elected...

Hastings Old Town Surgery

I've already posted about the petition recently, but I was in the surgery the other day, waiting for someone (not my surgery), and read this; I have since 'liked' the Hastings Old Town Surgery facebook page. Some have asked me for further information, so I reproduce some info from the facebook page. 

"Planners may force them (the surgery) out of the Old Town. The Old Town Surgery in Roebuck Street has served residents well for many years, but the practice no longer has the space to provide the safe, modern service that patients expect and deserve.

Dr Craig Namvar has drawn up plans to move to new premises in the Ice House on Rock-a-Nore. Besides GP consulting rooms, there would be a healthy-eating restaurant, a pharmacy, an optician, and facilities to deliver physiotherapy, chiropody, and more clinical services that are not possible in the crowded Roebuck St site.

Hastings council have refused planning permission, because they claim the surgery would take away hotel space and cause traffic, waste and parking problems. These “objections” don’t stand up to close inspection, and Dr Namvar (has resubmitted) his application. He needs your support to get his application approved. 

What’s the alternative? It’s true that moving our GPs to Rock-a-Nore would mean a longer walk for many Old Town patients, but the alternatives are worse. Staying in the Roebuck Street building is not an option in the long term. The council accept this, but are unofficially floating the idea of moving the surgery to Clive Vale, where it would also serve a new residential development. This would mean much longer journeys for old town residents, many of whom are frail, live alone and have mobility problems." 

Further updates as and when...