It's Now December So...

Indeed, I have held off this early seasonal blog until December because, well, just because it was too early for me in November, though apparently not too early for trees and decorations to appear around Hastings town, in shops, and in pubs and bars, so here I am...

Not only does a warm welcome meet you as you come down from from Hastings railway and bus interchange (top), but as you enter the Priory Meadow indoor shopping centre too.

Not to forget the caring bear in front of the Charity Giving Tree in aid of Hastings Foodbank, where you can make a donation by taking a tag from the tree, purchase a suitable gift, and then take the gift to Kids Stuff (website) in Priory Meadow, and many thanks for your kindness.

And a warm welcome also meets you when entering St Andrews Mews after crossing South Terrace from Marks & Spencer, there's a tree placed there since I took this photograph!

And, of course there are many other Christmas Trees, lights and allsorts of decorations around town, so, apologies, but early Seasonal Greetings folks, it's coming nery soon!

Easter Weekend in Hastings: Enjoy!

Okay, I still have a wee bit to say about my break away in Belgium, but I can't not share the fact that there is much to do around Hastings over the Easter period, including Hastings Easter Festival at the Stade Open Space on Saturday 30th March, from 2-6.00pm (website). This will be a free live music and arts festival, including an eclectic mix of musical genres, an arts exhibition and food from local vendors; donations towards the cost would be appreciated. The weather forecast isn't bad either!

But the musical fun has already begun with Easter Madness live music at the Jenny Lind pub in the High Street until Monday 1st April (Hastings Events). Of course, there is always plenty of live music in pubs and bars around the old town anyway, and even Hastings Pier will be waking up with live music this weekend (facebook), so there's plenty of live music to look out for, and much of it free!

Also, not to forget that this evening (28th March) there will be free light shows in Bottle Alley: 7.00-7.20pm; 7.35-7.55; 8.10-8.30pm; and 8.45-9.05 pm.

Plus plenty more to do, including for children, for example, at Hastings Aquarium (facebook), the Great Cream Egg Giveaway at Priory Meadow Friday 29th and Saturday 30th from 11.00am to 3.00pm both days (website), and see All Events website for details of other events around Hastings.

Enjoy the weekend folks! 👍

Town Centre, Police Hub and HMV Open

Indeed, as I said recently (blog), we appear to be getting more of a police presence in the town centre, now added to with this 'Police Hub.'

As the notice says, this Police Hub (POD) is for community engagement and queries and will be open Mon-Saturday, 12-13.00 and 15-16.00 hours. It is not a police station so they'll not be able to take crime reports. As usual, if you need to report a crime "please phone 999 in an emergency or 101 for non emergency calls."

You may have realised that I had a bit of a wander around earlier today and I visited the HMV shop as it's opened again following more refurbishment, and yes, I made a couple of purchases as I'm happier to buy from a shop than online, good to be back! 👍

Giving Trees and Christmas Trees...

If you hadn't already noticed the rather large bear in Priory Meadow shopping centre, you may be aware of the return of their Giving Trees Initiative in aid of Hastings Foodbank, if not, now you are; last drop off date Thursday 14th December 20.00 hours (website). To participate, select a tag from one of the trees  by the bear, purchase a suitable gift, then deliver that gift to Kids Stuff in Priory Meadow. For further details go to their website. 🌲🎁🌲

Talking about trees, in the outside part of Priory Meadow is this tree, which I photographed rather early in the morning, with regularly changing coloured light bulbs.

Plus many more colours! 😉

Christmas, Just Saying...

Christmas, just saying... It's still only November! OK, maybe brightening up Hastings town centre with lights is nice, pubs have already been doing it, and the lights are pretty, true. Oh yes, and the gang of Albanian women, or wherever they come from, get dropped off again around this time of year, increasing the number of Big Issue salespersons by 5 or so, just so's you keep tripping over them in the town centre... 

And Priory Meadow shopping centre joins in, wishing you a Merry Christmas! Christmas, yet another pagan festival, that is Saturnalia (history.com), linked to the Winter Solstice and borrowed by Christians, and which meant moving the birthday of Jesus months across the calendar. My flabber has never been more gasted!

Merry Christmas folks, or Happy Hanukkah, or Yuletide, or Kwanzaa, or Bodhi Day, whatever your preference, okay, yes it is early, but I can never get enough of wishing for peace on earth, particularly when there are so many wars being fought... 😞

HMV's open, I had to support/visit!

As I said recently (blog), HMV has reopened at Priory Meadow, following the flood in January (blog), and its subsequent refurbishment, and I was doing some shopping, so...I decided to pop in to support their reopening, and I bought the 3 DVD box set of The Addams family (above), and a few hours of fun guaranteed there... 😁

If you have never seen this 1960s series, a taster from YouTube, cheers!

Businesses (& Street) still closed but Cafe/Bar and Butchers open!

Following the significant East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service call outs last month (blog) one end of George Street remains closed, now with a CCTV van in situ (probably due to suspected re-entering of the premises by persons). Also, some shops and businesses, including HMV, remain closed at Priory Meadow (blog) and parking is still restricted in their car park; see Sussex World.

Whereas, a new South American Cafe/Bar has opened up at 44 Marina, St Leonards TN38 0BU, that is Cumbia Kitchen (website). The business having been going for over 4 years selling 'pop-up' street-style food at various festivals and venues around town, eg at the Dolphin Inn, and with a kiosk on Hastings Pier, remember the pier? 😒 

Also, a new butchers is opening at 34 Robertson Street TN34 1HT on Thursday 9th (Sussex World). Beak & Tail is the result of many years of experience working as butchers in East Sussex, London and Kent, of 2 young (compared to me) brothers, one of whom, Tom, I met this morning, Great to have a butchers back in town lads!

Anyway, very good luck to the new businesses👍

Good news and bad news here folks...

This Weekend in Hastings 16/18 December

My apologies for not writing recently, I've been visiting friends and family while the trains were still running, but the winter certainly seems to have hit us this last week, with snow falling on Sunday, not to mention live rails being frozen whilst travelling. Okay, the photograph above is originally from a previous blog of mine some time ago in February 2018, but you get the gist. It's been cold, and it snowed, and more so a little further inland from the seafront and town centre.

However, all this hasn't stopped the 'holiday season' fun and festivities developing, and this weekend certainly has plenty to offer in addition to the always thriving town that is Hastings. From activities to keep children happy whilst you're shopping at Priory Meadow, to live music and carols, to eating and drinking, to fancy dress and Burlesque, and to theatre and pantomime, there is something for most of us!

Indeed, so much is on that I am adding links to various sites, or just use google 😉

• Visit 1066 Country 
• Hastings Flyer 
• All Events In 
• Skiddle 
• Event Brite 

It's staying bright and sunny, so no snow but chilly over the next couple of days, but warming up from late Sunday, though wet then and on Monday too, but with the temperature getting into double figures during next week (Met Office). 🌞⛆🌂⛅

Whatever you do, whether shopping, going out, or just chilling out, have an excellent weekend, and stay safe folks! 🎄

Oh yes, and there's cricket in Pakistan to watch or listen to... 

Festive Fun Day - Sunday.

For a Sunday that looks to be damp (Met Office), Priory Meadow has arranged a Festive Fun Day, I'll copy & paste details from their website below, but I suspect the weather may well mean that its organisation may be a little different on the day:

FESTIVE FUN DAY, SUNDAY 27TH NOVEMBER, 10AM – 4PM

Our Christmas Shopping Festive Fun Day is back this month!

Sunday 27^th November between 10am and 4pm there is free festive entertainment for all the family to enjoy throughout the day whilst Christmas shopping, with a magical atmosphere, live music, Father Christmas and even The Grinch!

OUTSIDE – LIVE MUSIC AND STREET FOOD

You’ll find a stage in Queens Square by our 35ft Christmas tree with a fantastic local line up.

Kick starting the festivities is White Rock Theatre, who are bringing along some of the cast from this year’s must-see pantomime, Beauty and the Beast. Local panto legends Tim McArthur and Ben Watson will be providing all the laughs, and White Rock Tiddlers will be taking to the stage too.

Lea Goddard, The Coverups, and HPO Brass will also take to the stage with a host of Christmas tunes.

Take a seat on one of our many benches, grab a bite to eat from The Swing Grill, El Changarro or Khalid’s Kitchen and sit back and enjoy the shows.

INSIDE – FATHER CHRISTMAS, CRAFTS, THE GRINCH, FACE PAINTING AND MORE

Inside the shopping centre you’ll find even more festive delights, such as free face and glitter painting by Fantasy Face Painting, and a children’s Christmas card making activity run by the Glow Baby team.

It wouldn’t be a Christmas event without Father Christmas. Meet the jolly man himself outside Marks and Spencer for free throughout the day and take a photo with him in his sleigh. Plus keep an eye out for his wife, Mrs Claus, who will be wandering around handing out delicious complimentary treats and surprises.

A cantankerous, green, fluffy misery will be roaming at intervals spreading his grumpy charm… The Grinch will be attending with his usual mischief and trying to ruin Christmas!

Our charity partner of the year, RNLI, will be joining us for the festivities. Donations to the charity are greatly appreciated.

Centre Manager, Andy Harvey, said: “We hope you can join us for what is going to be a very festive Christmas shopping experience this December, something you certainly can’t enjoy when shopping online.”

Please note all entertainment is subject to change or be cancelled at any point. Acts are performing at scheduled intervals throughout the day.

Remember Snow?!?

Cricketer at Priory Meadow

I own up, the sun and summer and me just don't get along, Factor 50 costs a bit too, but the heat is what really does me in! And we haven't had proper snow for ages... 😓

Fishing Beach

I'll cope...

Pirate Minigolf

Somehow! 😉

Beach Huts, Pier behind

Miniature Railway

Fishermen's Museum

The Stacey Marie RX134

Enjoy the sunshine folks! 😎

A damp Hastings Day & another mains water leak in South Terrace!

Okay, maybe not as damp as forecasters predicted, but the view over the Channel this morning, about 05.40 (above), despite the hint of a rainbow, looked a wee bit ominous... Thankfully, the dark clouds just ran from west to east above/along the English Channel, and didn't visit Hastings, indeed, only bringing a short shower at 06.00, and a few showers and tiny rumble of thunder later...

However, on my way home just now, dampness reared its head again, this time from below, just by the Priory Meadow goods entrance in South Terrace, where sprang a serious mains leak, as water pumped up through the surface, be warned!

This led to the road being closed for nearly 24 hours...

"Trick or Treat?" Weekend in Hastings

Halloween begins on Friday 29th in Hastings this year, 10.00am to 3.00pm at Priory Meadow Shopping Centre, when children are invited to dress up and start their 'trick or treating' in the main mall outside H&M, where they will receive a gift bag to decorate and then head off to stores on a 'trail sheet' and the opportunity to win a gift voucher from a test on the 'spooky trail.' 

This event is free but children's tickets must be booked online beforehand: Link.

Further details of Halloween events over the weekend please see visit1066country.

No doubt much will be happening, eg in pubs, enjoy your weekend, stay safe!

 

Missing Snow in Hastings? A Few Photographs...

Cricketer at Priory Meadow

Whilst much of the country has had snow today it's rained here, but dry mostly, indeed we haven't had proper snowfall for a while, so here's some images not taken today. Maybe not to everyone's liking, snow, but I love it, enjoy the images if you do too! 

Adventure Golf & West Hill

Fishing Beach & East Hill

Beach Huts and Pier

Be safe folks, and wrap up well! 😉

Another Weekend...

Having just returned from the Tower pub with a few pints of ale, working out at just £2.20 a pint now (also see previous blog), so I thought I'd sit down with a pint and write this... Indeed, another weekend arrives, and it's been 12 weeks since pubs were closed from that Friday evening, and the full lockdown arrived on Monday 11 weeks and 4 days ago. Hastings has since been besieged by visitors at weekends, hopefully PLEASE not ruining our place as having the lowest Covid-19 infection rate in the country (blog).

Having tried all types of tactics to discourage visitors, and making note of the beaches being left with rubbish galore, and visitors urinating and defecating in public places because the toilets are closed, the top image appears the latest poster around, plus the 2 immediately above. I've seen all sorts of arguments for and against opening the public toilets and, on reading through numerous Government advice pages on the internet, I feel it's all pretty difficult to enable opening public loos (also see this interesting Guardian article). The Government advice is ambiguous of course, basically, please don't travel anywhere that is too far to without using the loo, but you can travel as far as you like within England, to Councils, do open public toilets, but you have to ensure 2 metre distancing and that the toilets are cleaned after every time it's used!

A knife in the back for councils, making them shoulder responsibility without giving any extra resources, meaning it's us good old Hastings Council Tax payers who have to foot the bill! Some councils around the country have opened some toilets, but not all, or for limited periods, others remain closed, as in Hastings. The organisation of this would be very difficult, and we've already seen, and have known for a long time, that left to their own devices, some of the public are, frankly, dirty buggers! So, attendants would have to make sure people going into toilets didn't go in when a maximum number were already in, imagine the comments they would receive from people crossing their legs because they're keen to empty their bowels and/or bladders! Then the attendant would have to keep going in to ensure cleanliness, not nice to imagine, nor easy...

And I love this idea for seating in Priory Meadow (above), I bet that works! 😉

Anyway, have a good weekend, and be careful. I shall be battening down the hatches after my early morning walk, with a few pints and DVDs, enjoy!

I have since added another blog that clarifies (I hope) where I was coming from concerning the closure of public toilets etc...

Seafront Roadworks now over and other news...

The roadworks that were announced to last for 13 weeks (blog) have, indeed, done so, and the seafront is back to normal today (above), well, as normal as it can be these days, although the pedestrian crossing isn't working again yet, not that it's needed!*

* I have since read (overnight 05/06 April, many thanks Rod) that the update to the gas supply hadn't been finished in the 13 weeks, so expect more disruption later in the year.

Fewer people about whilst I was out for my daily permitted exercise earlier, perhaps more people will emerge to ensure their daily Vitamin D requirement is reached (NHS).

I also noticed that parking at Priory Meadow is free at the moment, which, I presume, is for the few shops still open there, M&S Foodhall, Grape Tree, Post Office/Smiths  and Boots indoors, and Poundland and Superdrug; although there's not much else to do in the town centre... 

Whilst talking about town centre shops, the Sainsbury's Local is still opening at 08.00, whilst Tesco Express is now opening at 10.00, although this morning (Sunday) they appear to have a 'technical problem' and there is a notice that it is closed until solved; definitely open again on Monday 6th April, I just shopped there.

Despite there not being much to do in the town centre these days, the 6-8 usual gregarious 'social drinkers' appear to be very happy congregating there. No 'social distancing' for them it appears...

Finally, has anyone received the 'letter to the nation' concerning Coronavirus that our Prime Minister said he would send to you a week ago? Despite the cost being estimated at nearly £6 million, I still haven't received it yet either! However, this website tells you what it says, if you want to read it, although he provides no new information.

Well, that's the latest news from me, be careful folks!

Music in the Meadow

Another annual event now, part of the Hastings International Piano Concerto Festival, Music in the Meadow continues in Priory Meadow until tomorrow (Saturday 7th March), as Sussex Pianos have provided a grand piano for pianists 'of all ages and skill levels' to play on (website). So go on and 'tinkle the ivories.' 

Cuppa Club this lunchtime!

This lunchtime, between 11.00 am and 1.00 pm Cuppa Club returns to Priory Meadow, under cover, and just in front of Marks & Spencer's (website). Refreshments, that is tea and cake, are being provided to older folk, and the event is backed up by volunteers from Age UK East Sussex, plus there's entertainment planned, and I did notice what looked like wee goody bags on each seat, not sure what though, enjoy!

Priory Meadow for Children

Priory Meadow is certainly geared up for the summer holiday, big sandpit, bouncy thing, ice cream, keep those youngsters happy! 😉

International Piano Concerto Competition is back!

An early sign that the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition is back again for 2019 is the few days when the public gets the opportunity to play a concert standard piano in Priory Meadow (website), until Saturday 16th February. The competition itself begins next Thursday the 21st, until the final is completed on Saturday 2nd March 2019, at the White Rock Theatre (details at their website).

Always something happening in Hastings! 😉

Primark store, yes, it really will be opening in Hastings!

OK, I wrote about this in a blog a year ago, when it was suggested Primark would be open last summer, that is, 6 months ago, but it is now planned to open on Ash Wednesday, 6th March 2019, at least that's what it says in their windows...