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 Cometh Again!

Following the approval from Hastings Borough Council's Planning Committee for the change of use of this never occupied part of the building, you may have seen elsewhere that the local NHS Clinical Commissioning Group have given the go-ahead for the internal works at the Rock-a-Nore Health Centre in the new Ice House building (for the transfer of the Roebuck Surgery). Apparently, the building in Roebuck Street has already been sold, no doubt to be redeveloped as housing, and the internal works at Rock-a-Nore were meant to have been started by the end of September, though I haven't noticed anything happening there yet (see above photograph).

Should be happening very soon, hmmm...

The Ice House Cometh!

This may be old news to you, sorry, but a little birdy whispered in my ear yesterday that the problems with parking have been sorted out, disabled bays for parking will be placed opposite the old Ice House in Rock-a-Nore Road, and the new Roebuck Surgery/Health Centre, with healthy eating cafe, gymnasium et al, refitting should be completed before the end of September, this year, watch this space...

A wander along the seafront, and some news...

OK, excuse me for being way behind the news, and I realise this isn't on the seafront, but I do live close by, hence the first photograph here, but! Yes, you probably do already know that Primark is coming to Hastings, and is to be situated in the old BHS store, with the fitting of the store commencing this Spring, and likely opening in the Summer (news website), good news I think, maybe not for other clothing stores though...

There was a meeting at the White Rock Theatre of Hastings Pier 'Shareholders and Supporters' yesterday, which unfortunately I couldn't attend, but it looks like the meeting was very positive. I've seen that many ideas were shared, and proposals agreed to, notably that Friends of Hastings Pier is to be rejuvenated, as soon as I see any further information I shall share this, and if you are a shareholder, or wish to support the future of the People's Pier, you may wish to join their facebook closed group (page).

Hmmm... There are a number of drainage pipes still sat on the beach by Denmark Place, opposite the Carlisle pub, Pelham Street, outside which, in December, the road was flooded for a few days, apparently because of water backing up from the water drainage outlet that was damaged by Storm Brian in October...

When will they be replaced?!?

The move of the Roebuck Surgery in the old town High Street to a Health Centre within the Ice House building in Rock-a-Nore Road is going ahead (website), again this may be old news to many people, but I hadn't taken a photograph down there for a while now! The main opposition appears to have come from 1) That public transport does not go to the door, though it didn't in the High Street, but it was a bit closer there. 2) That traffic gets overwhelming in Rock-a-Nore Road at times, notably in peak season, and where will parking be for staff and patients?

I believe that Rock-a-Nore Road is being widened, effectively by taking away the pavements, levelling the surface across the road with walking space designated for pedestrians. Planned better, the car park at the end of the road could easily allow for more spaces, and an electronic system could also be set up to let drivers know that the car park is 'full' at the mouth to Rock-a-Nore Road. With the widening of the road, 'dropping off' spaces outside the Health Centre could be allowed for too. 

What this needs is sensible planning, though, and we've seen for years how the road can clog up because people drive down to a full car park in peak season, or at other busy times, and then have to drive back with multiple traffic lights as you rejoin the main road. However, little has been done to solve this problem previously, perhaps replace the lights with a small roundabout, but something definitely needs to be done now...

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! 👍

The Ice House, Health Centre or Waste of Space?

OK, I'm sure those who are living there now may disagree it's a waste of space, but, no-one wants to buy, or rent, the ground floor space in Rock-a-Nore Road, except doctors from the Roebuck Surgery... Hastings Borough Council Planning Committee will be considering the Health Centre application at 6pm on Wednesday 23rd of August at Muriel Matters House. 1,675 signatures were collected on a petition in support of the proposal by local GP, Craig Namvar MD, but Borough Council planning officers are opposing (back-handers of some sort?) and have recommended refusal to the Planning Committee. It may be interesting to go along and observe 'local democracy' in action, and perhaps see whether councillors will ignore the strength of local opinion.

John Hodges is sorely missed by constituents, a local councillor who cared for Hastings, we'll see what happens... but is there some sort of corruption here?  😢

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... 

Rock a Nore Surgery Petition

A petition objecting to the refusal by Hastings Borough Council to approve the 'Change of Use' for the former Ice House has been launched. The completed petition must be submitted to the Council by February 3rd.

Copies of the petition are available at the Roebuck Surgery, High Street, and in the following places in the Old Town.

• The Stag
• The FILO
• Lloyds pharmacy
• Interiors, 32 High St
• Nelson House Antiques, 80 High St
• John Bray
• Land of Green Ginger
• Penbuckles
• Fagins
• Butlers Emporium, George St
• The Bourne Stores

The campaigners assert that future provision of G.P. surgeries in the Old Town depends on securing approval by Hastings Borough Council for the revised application. Over 8,500 patients are served by the Old Town surgeries, some live outside the Old Town.

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."