Sad News, Good News, and Entrepreneurial News...

Walking up to the station earlier and what did I see? NOTHING on the island in front of the railway station and bus terminus, yet another empty space sadly...

Where, up until recently, Jimmy Toller's retired fishing boat RX53 Dorothy Melinda was situated (blog), lack of money apparently again being the culprit, as it was allowed to fall into disrepair, sadly. Thoughts with you Jimmy, R.I.P. 😞

Wednesday Low Cost Menu

Despite what happened at the Bale House (blog), the 'not for profit' Grumpy Cook Hastings, 1A Robertson Street TN34 1HL (facebook), continues to help those more needy, vulnerable and lonely. They also provide training opportunities for people to work in the hospitality sector. Nice one, keep up the good work, my respect!👍

An early reminder that Jack in the Green 2024 is to be soon upon us, that is on the public holiday for May Day, Monday the 6th of May 2024, but with the events for the weekend starting on Friday the 3rd of May (website).

For those readers who are entrepreneurial leaning, the seafront kiosk on the promenade above Bottle Alley (blog) is again up for renting. The Council has asked for 'Expressions of Interest' by 5pm on Tuesday the 23rd of April 2024 at the latest (website). You have a little over a week to apply, good luck!

Hastings May Day Weekend - Jack in the Green Returns!

Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green isn't just about the impressive May Day bank holiday Monday morning procession (above, near the start in Rock-a-Nore Road), no, it is returning with much merrymaking, drinking, music and dancing from Friday the 29th of April evening, and over the weekend, and culminating with the Procession through Hastings old town on Monday the 2nd of May, an afternoon of entertainment up on the West Hill, and the Slaying of the Jack from 4pm. See the website for fuller details.

Also, the organiser of Bike1066 has retired, so there will be no official Bikers' event in Hastings on Monday (HBC), but Hastings Council is allotting dedicated motorbike parking in Pelham Place car park and at The Stade open space. I am assured by a friend that quite a few motorbikes will be turning up to Hastings over the weekend, particularly on Monday, since the event hasn't happened since 2019 (blog). Indeed, biker groups are now consulting one another about organising an event for next year.

Roll on!! 👌 

May Day Weekend in Retrospect

I took 4 days off social media over the weekend, but did carry on walking out into Hastings Country Park, and avoided the town centre and old town, mostly.  What I did see was my first Goldfinch of the year, well 2 actually, such an attractive bird (blog). 

About 6 fishing boats were out on Sunday morning, presumably had been overnight...

And the flag flyer up Barley lane flew an appropriate flag for a Hastings May Day!

And some people did dress up, including Bogie Men, Milk Maids and Beer Fairies!

n, 

Not exactly the 'Jack'  but better than nothing- the last 2 photographs were shared with thanks to the Dolphin facebook page, cheers!

Oh yes, and more than a few thousand bikes turned up!

May Day 2021

Jack in the Green and May Day 2021 appear to not be occurring 'officially', as I said in a blog a couple of months ago, but we are being encouraged to dress up still, just no parade, fair enough! But there will still be stuff online (facebook), and who knows what else may happen... My contact has said that the Bike1066 event is definitely off too, but I have heard rumours that bikers are very likely to turn up and, if not the 30 or 40 thousand that often turn up, there is likely to be more than a few...

So we won't be seeing the famous Jack in the Green procession for a second year running, nor the biking event, but places are open, particularly outside, so whatever, enjoy May Day, whether you support the pagan traditions celebrating the return of Spring and/or International Workers' Day, comrades, or just want a drink! 😉

Please, though, do not forget we are still in a pandemic, so be safe people!

May Day's Off! Jack in the Green Online again, sadly...

Well, Jack in the Green is going online again this year (facebook), so, no coming together of merry people on the streets of Hastings to celebrate May Day for the second year running. This COVID-19 Crisis is really getting to me now, we haven't celebrated any day or any festival since the Fat Tuesday before last! I've checked to see if Bike1066 is still going ahead this year (cancelled last year, obviously, sadly), but nothing mentioned on their website yet, except from last year which says 'postponed until May Day 2021' (website), but don't hold your collective breath...

Oh yeh, remember the good old days when there was something going on every weekend, and I reported on it, well, nothing planned for yet another weekend. 😢

Stay safe folks!

Hastings Virtual Jack in the Green 2020 and Bike1066

You'll not be seeing this

Jack in the Green, eh?!? Thousands of visitors to Hastings for May Day every year (blog), people all dressed up and make-up applied, traditional parade, alcohol imbibed, music and dancing, what is there not to like? Well, first, the Government tried to ruin the day by cancelling the May Day public holiday, and moving it to the Friday to celebrate the end of WWII in Europe, rather than just have an extra public holiday in 2020; oh the irony of Government not wanting the British people to have an extra day off this year!

 You'll not be seeing this either

Then Mother Nature's turn, with a virus called Covid-19, a Coronavirus, apparently from the same group that also contains the 200 plus viruses that cause the Common Cold. Well, we've seen what's happened since then, the wettest month in recorded history, February 2020, followed by wall-to-wall sunshine, and we're not allowed to go out in it, except for certain reasons (Government website)! So, Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green has been cancelled, understandably, for 2020 (facebook).

Presumably only close family will see her

But what you may see is:

OK, maybe not Bob himself, but people adorning the outsides of their homes and businesses, because, Hastings folk (and anyone else, for that matter, you definitely do not have to be in Hastings for this one!), Jack in the Green is going virtual for 2020 (facebook), as in, going online, and personal! Hastings folk are being encouraged by the organizers, starting on the real May Day itself, Friday the 1st of May 2020, to "dress up, decorate your houses with greenery, and join in the virtual parade by sharing pictures, videos and messages, via your social media channels using the hashtag #HastingsVirtualJack2020 " 💖

Also, not seeing this on May Day

The annual Bike1066, which usually sees over 40,000 motorbikes come to Hastings every year has also been, postponed, as in to August, to not only celebrate 'Victory in Europe 1945' but also 'VJ Day.' All things being well, it is planned for thousands of motorbikes to visit Hastings on Saturday the 15th of August 2020 (website).

So, all is not lost, despite the machinations of Government and Mother Nature, Hastings is still going to Virtual Party! Ain't no stopping us now!! 😉

#HastingsVirtualJack2020 

More May Day Motorbikes & Blue Sky!

Taking advantage of sharing these further photographs, and with many thanks to our roving photographic reporter, Marcus, cheers!

 Slightly edited images, many thanks!

Happy May Day!

Oops! I missed May Day greetings, I apologise, however, on Monday and over the weekend before we do have the Jack in the Green festivities, I'll say more soon but, in the meantime, the Jack in the Green website holds all required information!

May Day 2017

OK, mostly about the bikes this year, the weather didn't help 😉

Early doors...

The calm before the storm, entering Rock-a-Nore Road...

Started drinking by 09.00, and some made that plain! 😕

Retreading my steps towards the West...

Bikes, eh?!?

Labour Politics mixing with May Day, Who'd have thought?

True! Bunting for Jack in the Green and Labour posters side by side up on the West Hill, well I never, who'd have thought?!? 😉

Jack in the Green Festival Starts Today!

OK, today starts with music, but the Festival carries on until the procession on Monday; see Jack in the Green website for further details. Of course, music continues at all the regular venues as usual, the pubs and bars, and a special Liane Carroll Trio gig at the Kino Theatre, St Leonards, on Sunday, you'll never guess who the other two are... or, you will if you regularly follow music in Hastings!

Of course, the May Day weekend doesn't only mean Jack in the Green, as thousands of motorbikes descend upon Hastings on May Day, which is, indeed, May the 1st this year!

I'll add a couple more blogs this weekend to keep up to date on events over the next few days, and the weather forecast looks good too, so enjoy!

May Day, in the town centre, and on the Pier.

What, with Jack in the Green tomorrow and other May Day fun today, you may be forgiven in not remembering it is also International Workers' Day; though not forgotten by these people in the town centre.

On the way to the Pier, the promenade was quite busy, so "ice cream anyone?"

 Enjoying refreshments by the Pavilion Bar

 Queuing for fish and chips

Watching Morris Dancing 

Busiest day, so far, on Hastings Pier, as people stream through the gates...

Looking over at the Promenade

Enjoy the Day Tomorrow!

Monday 4th of May

From the website - oh, yes, and there will be a few motorbikes around too!

The Grand Procession

* 2015 Procession Route

This is likely to be the same as in 2013 and 2014, which was

Fishermen's Museum, All Saints Street, across the Bourne, High Street - break for refreshments - Swan Terrace, Croft Road, Collier Road, Priory Road, West Hill.

** For reasons of health and safety, the organisers request performers to not access George Street to dance on Monday the 4th of May 2015.**

Breakfast, 7:30am

Start the day with a hearty "Morris Dancer Breakfast" to fuel you up for the day ahead. Everyone all welcome and proceeds to "The Two Towers Trust"

St. Mary Star of the Sea Church Crypt
access from The Bourne, Hastings old town
From 7:30am until 9:00am

The Gathering

The Bogies, Morris sides, Sweeps and a host of colourful characters gather outside the Fisherman's museum on Rock-a-Nore Road eagerly awaiting the Jack. The greening begins here!

Net Huts
Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings old town

Jack is released, approx. 10:00am

The Jack is released from the Fisherman's Museum and bursts into the crowd. Make way as Mad Jack's Women welcome him by performing a dance around him. Then the procession forms up. Following the Jack and the Bogies are Mad Jack's Morris, the Sweeps and the May Queen, Hannah's Cat, The Lovely Ladies and the Gay Bogies, Giants, visiting performing groups and the rhythm section.

Fisherman's museum
Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings old town

High Street

The procession weaves its way through the Old Town and stops in the High Street between the FILO pub and Swan Terrace for refreshment and dancing.

Please stay on the pavement as The High Street will be very crowded at this point and please be mindful of performers and others around you. Jack will make his way from one end of High Street to the other as he greets all of the participants in the procession.

High Street
Hastings old town

The Procession continues, 12:00pm

The procession reforms and sets off again, winding up Swan Terrace, Croft Road, along Collier Road and finally along Priory Road and onto the West Hill.

Croft Road, leading to Collier Road
Hastings old town

The West Hill 12:00pm

Once again the procession and day will reach its climax on the West Hill festival site.

While the procession is making its way up from the old town The Fabulous Red Diesel band will once again perform on stage until the procession arrives.

Please note that open fires and barbecues will not be allowed on the site during the event and we ask that all dogs please be kept on leads.

Admission is free and all are welcome.

Festival site, Priory Road,
West Hill, Hastings

Procession arrives on the West Hill, approx 12:30pm

The Jack arrives at the festival site on the West Hill where the Bogies drum the procession in.

The Jack has his own stage this year where he will preside over proceedings on the hill until it is time for him to be slain.

Morris Dancing on the West Hill

Enjoy the afternoon as each Morris side showcases their dancing. Visit the Craft Fayre, tuck into some tasty snacks from the food stalls and visit the fully licensed bar to enjoy your favourite local real ales.

New this year will be a second stage area for dancing and there are other entertainments planned, including activities for children and story telling. More details to follow.

The Slaying of the Jack, approx. 3:30pm

After the dancing, the Bogies parade the Jack down to the main stage where he is symbolically slain and the Spirit of Summer is released for another year.

The End, approx. 4:30pm

Dressing up for Jack in the Green!

Being 'dressed' earlier today at the Dolphin, the first pub the Jack reaches when released, and it will be open from 09.00 on Monday, cheers Mark! 

The Dolphin 'dressed' for Jack in the Green...

The Standard 'dressed' in green...

This used to be the 'Jolly Fisherman' pub in the 19th century, and was first licenced in 1834, but is now a great pie & mash shop! Now 'dressed' too...

The Anchor et al... Hastings is 'dressing' up already for the weekend, and Mayday! 

Too many to photograph today, but on Monday Hastings will be rocking, no doubt!