Hastings Fat Tuesday Tour 4th March 2025

Tomorrow evening, Tuesday the 4th of March is the day, Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday, whatever you want to call it, and Hastings hosts the biggest Mardi Gras festival in Britain: For the Fat Tuesday Tour 24 acts will be playing at 3 venues each from the following 12, from the Carlisle in the west/town centre to the Dolphin Inn in the east/old town, and all free, but don't forget to drink!😉

Albion, 33 George Street TN34 3EA;

Hastings and St Leonards Angling Association, Marine Parade TN34 3AG;

Carlisle, 24 Pelham Street TN34 1PE;

Dolphin Inn, 11-12 Rock-a-Nore Road TN34 3DW;

Dragon Bar, 71 George Street TN34 3EE;

First In Last Out, 14-15 High Street TN34 3EY;

Jenny Lind Inn, 69 High Street TN34 3EW;

London Trader, 4-7 East Beach Street TN34 3AR;

Lord Nelson, 1 East Bourne Street TN34 3DP;

Porters Wine Bar, 56 High Street TN34 3EN;

Pump House, 64 George Street TN34 3EE;

Royal Standard, East Beach Street TN34 3DW.

Each of the 24 acts will play 20 minutes sets in 3 of the venues, and each venue will have 6 acts, from 8.00 pm until 11.00/11.30 pm; please go to the Hastings Fat Tuesday website for greater detail for each act and each venue. In addition, from 8.00 pm until 1.00 am, opposite the Lifeboat Station at East Hastings Sea Angling Association, The Stade TN34 3FJ, will be the Reggae Room.

If you want to play it by ear, just walk around the Old Town and don't be surprised by the quality of free live music available, have fun and party. However, I recommend people consider their favourite venues and what they sell drinks-wise, consider who they'd like to see, then decide on getting to one venue early, and stay there, it will be busy!

For full details of all events (there is more!) go to the website.

If you haven't already read it, I wrote more about Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras and the history of Mardi Gras in last Thursday's blog.  

Enjoy free live music and party folks!

Hastings Fat Tuesday Tour 13th of February 2024

Tomorrow evening, Tuesday the 13th of February is the day, Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday, whatever you want to call it, and Hastings hosts the biggest Mardi Gras festival in Britain: For the Fat Tuesday Tour 24 acts will be playing at 3 venues each from the following 12, from the Carlisle in the west/town centre to the Dolphin Inn in the east/old town, and all free, but don't forget to drink!😉

Albion, 33 George Street TN34 3EA;

Hastings and St Leonards Angling Association, Marine Parade TN34 3AG;

Carlisle, 24 Pelham Street TN34 1PE;

Dolphin Inn, 11-12 Rock-a-Nore Road TN34 3DW;

Dragon Bar, 71 George Street TN34 3EE;

First In Last Out, 14-15 High Street TN34 3EY;

Jenny Lind Inn, 69 High Street TN34 3EW;

London Trader, 4-7 East Beach Street TN34 3AR;

Lord Nelson, 1 East Bourne Street TN34 3DP;

Porters Wine Bar, 56 High Street TN34 3EN;

Pumphouse, 64 George Street TN34 3EE;

Royal Standard, East Beach Street TN34 3DW.

Each of the 24 acts will play 20 minutes sets in 3 of the venues, and each venue will have 6 acts, from 8.00 pm until 11.00/11.30 pm; please go to the Hastings Fat Tuesday website for greater detail for each act and each venue. In addition, from 8.00 pm until 1.00 am, opposite the Lifeboat Station at East Hastings Sea Angling Association, The Stade TN34 3FJ, will be the Reggae Room.

If you want to play it by ear, just walk around the Old Town and don't be surprised by the quality of free live music available, have fun and party. However, I recommend people consider their favourite venues and what they sell drinks-wise, consider who they'd like to see, then decide on getting to one venue early, and stay there, it will be busy!

For full details of all events (there is more!) go to the website.

If you haven't already read it, I wrote more about Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras and the history of Mardi Gras in last Wednesday's blog.  

Enjoy free live music and party folks!

It May be Lonely this Christmas, BUT!

Every year Christmas and the 'festive season' sees an increase in loneliness, but remember that the Samaritans can provide 24 hour emotional support; calls on 116 123 are free. They can also be reached in other ways, and their opening hours and further information is on their website. Many thanks to their volunteers and staff.

There are also places offering free Christmas meals to the homeless and lonely in Hastings, for example, on Christmas Day The London Trader at 4-7 East Beach Street is offering a free Christmas lunch to anyone who wants one, in their words "don't go hungry, miserable or lonely, come in, see us and get fed!" (facebook) Nice one! 👍

Also, Dom's Food Mission is providing dinner on Christmas Day (above), and the Council's website shows other help and food available, including Christmas Day and Boxing Day meals at the Salvation Army in St Andrews Square.

As I've also already said (blog), it's more than just a seasonal problem these days, and foodbanks appear to be with us long term now, and Hastings Foodbank (website) is desperate for certain items:

UHT Milk, Full Fat and Semi-skimmed;

Tinned Meat (but not corned beef and pork);

Tinned Vegetables (especially peas and carrots);

Tinned Fruit;

Coffee.

Also required are:  Toilet Rolls;

Toiletries (shower gel, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste);

Tinned Fish;

Tinned Potatoes;

Tinned Rice Pudding;

Jam;

Fruit Juice.

There are Foodbank donation points all over Hastings, and full details of addresses and opening times are at the website, and include the HBC Community Contact Centre (Muriel Matters House), The Hastings Centre (The Ridge), Tesco Extra (St Leonards), Sainsbury's (Station Approach), Asda, Tesco Express (Havelock Road), Morrisons, NatWest Bank (Havelock Road), and Nationwide Building Society branches. 

Stay safe and secure and watch out for each other folks, and much respect to those offering help and charity. Any other places where help can be found, eg free dinners, please feel free to add in comments, cheers!

Seasonal Problems, Loneliness, Shelter, Money and Food & Help

Every year Christmas and the 'festive season' means an increase in loneliness, but remember that the Samaritans can provide 24 hour emotional support; calls on 116 123 are free, and their local telephone number is 0330 094 5717 (local call charges apply). They can also be visited, and their opening hours and further information is on their website. Many thanks to their volunteers and staff.

2 pubs in Hastings are offering free meals over the weekend, on Saturday 24th and in association with Mental Health Help Sussex, The Pig Hastings at 37 White Rock, is offering a Free Wellbeing Christmas Meal at 6.00pm. The event is aimed at "anyone and everyone in the community who may be struggling either mentally, physically, or financially" (facebook).

On Christmas Day, Sunday the 25th of December, The London Trader at 4-7 East Beach Street is offering a free Christmas lunch and glass of wine to anyone who wants one, in their words "don't go hungry, miserable or lonely, come in, see us and get fed!" (facebook) Nice one, helped by "kind donations from locals and local businesses" including "Andy Fraser and Sedlescombe Golf Course, LWC Drinks Ltd, and Rosie Adams the people's champion at Morrisons."

In past years in Hastings & St Leonards, temporary accommodation for homeless people has been supplied by The Snowflake Trust, sadly there are still problems providing overnight dormitory style accommodation, but Hastings Borough Council are providing temporary single room accommodation for the homeless, having leased properties for the purpose. They have asked Snowflake to provide hot evening meals and to be involved still; further details can be found at their website. Help can also be sought via the Seaview Project (website) and for their other services too.

OK, it's more than just a seasonal problem these days, but foodbanks seem to be with us long term now, and Hastings Foodbank (website) is desperate for certain items:

UHT Milk, Full Fat and Semi-skimmed;

Tinned Meat (but not corned beef and pork);

Tinned Vegetables (especially peas and carrots);

Tinned Fruit;

Coffee.

Also required are:  Toilet Rolls;

Toiletries (shower gel, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste);

Tinned Fish;

Tinned Potatoes;

Tinned Rice Pudding;

Jam;

Fruit Juice.

There are Foodbank donation points all over Hastings, and full details of addresses and opening times are at the website, and include the HBC Community Contact Centre (Muriel Matters House), The Hastings Centre (The Ridge), Tesco Extra (St Leonards), Sainsbury's (Station Approach), Asda, Tesco Express (Havelock Road), Morrisons, NatWest Bank (Havelock Road), and Nationwide Building Society branches. 

Finally, from me for now, East Sussex County Council provide advice on their website regarding 'cost of living support' with links to money help and advice, your mental health, help with benefits, your home, food, employment and learning, health, transport, and help for households.

Stay safe and secure and watch out for each other folks, and much respect to those offering help and charity. Any other places where help can be found, eg free dinners, please feel free to add in comments and I'll write another blog, cheers!

Some Pirate Day Photographs 2017

Mods were here too, early doors

Bunting up at the Trader

Preparing the Stade Open Space

Looking across from Stacey Marie (facebook)

The Stacey Marie RX134

Drummers passing the Cinque Ports Arms

In the Cinque Ports

Still action at the Stade

Pirate Family escaping!

That's all folks!

He's on a Quest, and another interesting discovery!

By Steve the Beermeister...

Following my recent consideration of beer price increases in Hastings pubs since the Chancellor's budget, and breweries annual price increases, I've been on a bit of a quest, because most breweries are at it, not to mention the middle person, and the tax collector indeed! Also, an interesting development regarding paying by debit card... So, here's a few in Hastings and nearby, and, OK, it is a chore, but I prefer to say it's really a calling.
                                                     

I walked to Bexhill the other day, to the RAFA Albatross Club... OK, it is cheaper because it is a members club, but their 4 real ales, whatever strength, are all priced at £3.20 a pint. For another comparison on keg beers, I checked on their Guinness price too, which is £3.50 a pint, not bad, but, as I said, this is a club.

I also popped into the Dripping Well, just up towards Bohemia Road from the old Post Office. Here, two real ales were on sale, the session bitter being Wadworth Henry's IPA at just £2.90 a pint, and their stronger bitter, Youngs Special at £3.30 a pint; the Guinness here costs £3.70 a pint, all very good value for a pub so close to the town centre.

Back into the old town and, in Rock-A-Nore Road, the Dolphin Inn today put up their prices following all breweries and other suppliers price increases, and the 2% increase in beer duty. All 6 of their real ales continue to be priced the same, strengths from 3.8% to, usually, no more than 6%, ie now £3.70 a pint, and Guinness now costs £4.10 a pint.

I shall visit a few more pubs and bars around town, and continue to report on price variations, probably coming to an overall comparison in a month or two, but! An interesting piece of information came to my attention this morning, ie, if you pay for your drinks by a debit card (as customers are increasingly being encouraged to do, but what's wrong with cash, I say?!?) at the London Trader in the old town, they charge you £1 on top, effectively, say you pay for 2 pints with your card, increasing the price of each pint by 50p!

Interesting, indeed! I shall continue my quest...😉

Harveys Dray to visit Hastings

The Harveys Dray is to visit Hastings this Saturday lunchtime and early afternoon (7th February), travelling from St Leonards to the Old Town, mostly along the front. I'm not sure of all the hostelries it will be stopping at, but one of the first, if not the first, is the Horse & Groom at St Leonards, also visiting the White Rock Hotel, London Trader and the Dolphin at Rock-a-Nore, among others, I'd imagine.   

Monty and Winston

These photographs are from the visit made at the beginning of May last year, and more can be found out by searching the Harveys' website.