Reminder: This evening Friends of Hastings Pier Meeting!

Please come along and give support to the Friends of Hastings Pier meeting at 7.30pm at the White Rock Theatre this evening, the more support the better!

See previous blog.

Hastings Pier: Meeting of Shareholders and Supporters

Most local people will probably be aware that Hastings Pier/Charity has gone into administration, with Smith & Williamson LLP (website) appointed administrators of the Charity towards the end of last year. They are looking at ways of bringing the Charity out of administration, whilst the Heritage Lottery Fund is supporting shortfall (to a limit) until the end of the year, by which time it is hoped a solution will have been found. If you have any spare £millions please get in touch with Adam Henry Stephens and Finbarr Thomas O'Connell, the licensed insolvency practitioners appointed.

More likely, if you are a shareholder, or would like to become active and support the survival of the People's Pier, there will be an informal meeting of supporters/shareholders tomorrow (Saturday 3rd February 2018) at 2.30pm in the Sussex Rooms at the White Rock Theatre, opposite the Pier.

Fingers crossed this will be sorted out by the administrators with local support.

Old Town Hall Meeting This Evening.

Meeting 6.00 for 6.30 Monday 23rd May – History House 

A G E N D A

1] Jobs agreed – how should we fill them ?

* Volunteers manager; Bookings /Programme manager ; Exhibition Co- ordinator; Premises manager ; Cleaners ; Fundraising team; Publicity team + Information team; Retail team ; Day to Day treasurer; Education officer; +++

2] Expressions of interest from various group / activity organisers -

* How should this be approached ?

* Do we need a notional timetable over the week / month etc.

* Booking form

* Fee structure

3] Early bird programme of activities

4] Future agenda items.

Hastings Old Town Hall -Notes from a meeting held 16th May at Hastings History House

10 people present

1 Dick reported that Cllr. Peter Chowney had said there was a commercial bid in from an Old Town business for the OTH but that he would be willing to consider a well prepared bid from the community. He had said that after an initial trial period a rent would be expected.

It was felt a meeting of the steering group with Cllr. Chowney was desirable topics to be covered:

1 Terms of Lease

2 Insurance

3 Business Plan

4 Funding

5 package of users and schedule of events

6 staff and management structure

2 Working group

Jobs to be covered

Funding team – Sue Dawson, Dick Edwards

Publicity Team

Treasurer – Dick reported Phil White [HOTRA’s Treasurer] was happy to keep accounts] leaving a role for day to day financial management/banking etc.

Retail co-ordinator – Jacky Pratt

Education Officer/team – Michelle Frankel

Once/if we have access for temporary use – Keyholder – KC at Jenny Lind + one or two more.

Locking up procedure/security – Jacky Pratt +

Information co-ordinator

Cleaning management /cleaner – though it was expected that users would clean up after themselves and take rubbish away.

Premises co-ordinator – bookings etc.

Key Priorities

Temporary Use – open by August

Public Liability Insurance needed and possibly premises?

Claire Hamill offered a fundraising gig – licensing Dick will enquire of HBC

Michelle Frankel said her group were ready to go - plays and work on ‘Women of Note in Hastings’.

Fair/Market would be comparatively easy to organise and enable us to assess the need for such space.

Storytelling –a request for a monthly venue.

Possibly library use.

3 Funding Strategy

Sue had obtained details of the Foreshore Trust grants, and 1066 fund, Brigit had found out about NISA community fund

Membership – get involved a space for you / Sponsorship

Shares, and crowd funding were thought to be right if longer lease taken on.

A Hiring fee structure was discussed and £10 an hour or £30 a session was felt to be affordable by community groups. % of take for events when tickets sold.

4 Keeping the Community involved

Many thanks to Dee Harvey for excellent poster – to be used on flyers with info on the back.

Social media – volunteers needed/Dick would send article to Hastings Independent/Observer.

5 Dates for meetings – Mondays seemed to suit most people next meeting Monday 23rd 6 for 6.30 at Hastings History House, following was Bank Holiday but it might be possible TBC. It was important to keep the momentum going if we were to succeed.

6 AOB Hastings Embroidery – Dick had circulated a link www.1066.co.nz which was the Bayeux Tapestry made of steel and was due to be displayed in St Mary-in-the-Castle this year. It was felt that the HE would be ideally shown with this.

Old Town Hall meeting tonight.

There will be another meeting about the Old Town Hall this evening, 6pm for 6.30pm start, at Hastings History House in Courthouse Street...

Agenda: 

1] Funding – Foreshore Trust closing date 9/6; ?other ideas

2] Temporary bank account

3] Retail activities – suppliers /products / educational games / payments

4] Circulating Library

5] Urbanism award

6] Press officer

7] Firming up ideas after Borough elections

8] Volunteer register

9] The Story so far – website appeal etc.

10] Next Meeting Wednesday 11th May