Hastings Pirate Day/Weekend 2024

There's always plenty happening in Hastings, but this weekend also includes Hastings Pirate Day 2024 (Weekend 20/21 July 2024), what more can I say?!? Ever since Hastings recorded the Guinness Book of Records standing record of the number of pirates in a single area, that is on the beach in Hastings in 2012 (14,231 above), we've been waiting for our Cornish piratical chums in Penzance to catch up, and they still haven't! So, it's yet more chance for Hastings folk to dress up and enjoy themselves and, of course, there will be drums and music aplenty!

An early warning sign that the seafront between central Hastings and the Old Town will be closed to traffic tomorrow (Sunday 21st) between Noon and 1.00pm, more of later... Today, though, do not be surprised to see a few pirates around, indeed, there will be a piratical presence in many places around the Old Town all weekend, including a craft market at the Stade and workshops for children by the Aquarium, and much more, see the website for the programme.

On Sunday the reason for the temporary road closure will become clear, as there will be a procession (route above) between the America Ground and the Old Town. The procession will begin forming up outside OWENS/the old Debenhams building from 11.30am tomorrow (Sunday the 21st of July), leaving at 1.00pm, and heading along the seafront road to the Stade Open Space in the Old Town, where many will disperse around the Old Town, or stay to sample the delights around Rock-a-Nore and the Stade (programme). Enjoy the weekend me 'arties!

Hastings Kelp Project

Good luck and best wishes for this project! I'll cut & paste below their message to the Hastings in Focus facebook page, explaining the project, and share here the Hastings Kelp Project website and their Crowdfunding page:

'An exciting new nonprofit-making organisation project is starting in Hastings! The aim of the organisation is to 'rewild' the coastline from Hastings to Pett Level beach with kelp seaweed forests for the wildlife, the oceans, the planet and the future and put Hastings on the map as a green hotspot in the UK!

We'd love to kick it off with local funding and support and are offering all local businesses the chance to advertise and show their care and devotion to the planet with just £100 to promote their business on our website and social media top 250! Do you care about the planet? The oceans? The wildlife? The future for your children?

Research has shown that seaweed can produce 70% more oxygen and absorbs carbon more effectively than trees with estimations up to 175 million tonnes of C02 stored each year. Through photosynthesis it absorbs this huge amount of carbon and it disposes this to the bottom of the ocean, storing it forever, helping us, helping the planet, helping the future.

Kelp forests provide an environment and habitat for a wide range of fish, mammals, birds and invertebrates from starfish and anemones to seals and dolphins through to shrimps and lobsters. Kelp forests provide a nursery for juvenile animals to grow and stay safe, protected from storms and predators as well as being an essential part of the food chain. They are a natural buffet for many birds like the gulls, egrets and terns and which feed on the small and abundant crustaceans. The safety and nutrition from the kelp forests help wildlife flourish.'

Hastings Pirate Day 2022 - Weekend 16th/17th July!

This was the scene 10 years ago (22nd of July 2012), when 14,231 Pirates turned up on Pelham Beach, Hastings (Guinness World Records), and, despite attempts to break this record elsewhere since, Hastings still holds the world record for the largest gathering of pirates in one place. Consequently, this is yet another year when, no worries, it will just be about dressing up, turning up and having fun!

If you're new to Hastings, or just visiting this weekend, do not be surprised to see people dressed up appropriately, or inappropriately (😉) wherever you are, town centre, old town, on the beach, in pubs, everywhere! The people of Hastings do love to dress up, and pirates come from near and far for this weekend. 

So, what will be happening? Plenty, in fact, with Hastings Pier (above) and the Stade Open Space (near the Lifeboat Station) being the main focal points: But things happening from music at St Leonards - Goat Ledge; to the Town Centre Pirate Treasure Trail; to Pelham Beach with Pirate Golf, drums and more; to Rock a Nore with museums, aquarium, children's craft workshop, pirates, and much more! 

Indeed, fun for all the family across town, with live music and cabaret, film, drums and cannon fire, Blackbeard's market, bars, and pubs of course, all joining in the spirit of Pirate Day, and 2 parades too! Both processions starting at 3.00pm on Sunday and heading towards Pelham Beach, one from the Pier heading eastwards, the other from the Stade Open Space heading westwards, reaching Pelham Beach to join the celebrations of Hastings being Pirate Capital of the World for 10 years!

Go to Hastings Pirate Day website to see more details of the programme, and just wander around, things will be happening in many places not listed, I'm sure.

Try not to walk the plank, but do enjoy yourselves, avast ye, me hearties!

New Year Drinking in the Old Town

By Steve the Beermeister

Rock a Nore View This Week

Well. we've had a few gorgeous days this week, so I've been walking around Hastings, thus time to write briefly about pubs I've visited (in the Old Town) since the New Year arrived. First, the Albion, in George Street, plus they have an entrance opposite the seafront. They sell 3 ales from Sussex and Kent brewers, normally Harvey’s Sussex Best and a pale bitter and a darker beer; one usually from Bedlam Brewery. If visiting make sure you have a debit card with you (or other electronic payment device, how thinks change!) as they do not take cash. Oh yes, and great pasties too (below & blog).

I'm writing this in alphabetical order, so next the Dolphin Inn, Rock-a-Nore Road, with its balcony virtually opposite the Fish Market, and which has recently changed its ale range from 3 regular and 3 guest ales to 2 and 4 respectively. The regulars are Harvey’s Sussex Best and Dark Star Hophead (sometimes a different pale session ale from another local brewery too!), and the guest ales have been including a dark beer (Winter/Old Ale, Porter or Stout), an equivalent to a Special/Best Bitter from local breweries or Youngs Special, and usually an APA style dry pale bitter, often from Kent Brewery or Oakham Ales. Live music has returned on Saturday evenings.

The First In Last Out (FILO), up the High Street and on the right, past the old Roebuck Surgery, which brews its own ales a short way from the pub up Old London Road, and continues to sell 4 or 5 of their own beers, and 1 or 2 guest ales. Their range includes pale to darker beers, including a Porter, and had their own dark seasonal Winter Warmer when I last visited.

The Jolly Fisherman, East Beach Street, a cosy beer drinking establishment, continues to sell a good range of real ales in addition to crafty keg beers. Last weekend they had a Dark Beer Festival, with 10 Stouts and Porters on offer; outside of festivals they do sell darker beers too, not to forget some very interesting Belgian beers.

Finally, the Lord Nelson, at the bottom of East Bourne Street, sells Courage Directors and Harvey’s Sussex Best. Live music is played here on Sundays, early evening.

Cheers!

Congratulations to HBC, but I remain concerned...

Well, the Travellers moved on yesterday, and Hastings Borough Council (facebook) have thanked Sussex Police and East Sussex County Council for their help in the matter. The concern has been eased in this town, but it is really a problem just passed along the line to the next area, there is still a potential 'disaster waiting to happen' (paper) but, hopefully, not in Hastings...

Many thanks to the HBC cleaners who tidied up the Rock-a-Nore car park.

Oh yes, my daily exercise programme (first example I wrote about was in a blog 2 months ago! Where have those 2 months gone?), I'm averaging about 8 miles a day now, and many thanks to whoever used a strimmer to cut back this extension of Barley Lane, makes it much easier, presuming Hastings Country Park/Council, cheers!

Covid-19 and now They're Back...

Photograph taken at 05.45 today

Well, Hastings was recently found to have the lowest Coronavirus Rate in England (blog), something to be very proud of as we went along with Johnson's Government rulings about staying indoors, and maintaining social distancing when we were out, whilst others, including members of the Government, and their aids it now appears, did not... Also, despite refugees landing in Hastings in April (Hastings Observer).

But then Johnson declared that anyone in England could drive to Hastings and other seaside resorts and sunbath on the beaches (Mirror), with no thought to the lack of facilities that are closed because of the Coronavirus Crisis, notably public toilets; and shops, pubs, bars and restaurants, that is, other places where toilet facilities may be used in normal times. Consequently, Hastings was inundated with visitors over the long weekend (aren't they all long these days?!?) and having to urinate in public spaces, and we await with bated breath the result of that siege on the Coronavirus Rate in Hastings, and presumably with more and more visits every weekend from now on, unless a second outbreak brings back tougher lockdown measures in the future...

Now, we have been blessed with the car park at Rock a Nore being broken into overnight, with the padlock/chain broken (presumably this will be on film provided by the many CCTV cameras in the area) and, at my last count, 12 caravans and caravanettes now illegally parked there. Travellers already have problems with health care, and Katherine Quarmby (paper) suggests that their communities are already "buckling from the impact of the pandemic." Indeed, a "disaster waiting to happen."  

I am concerned... Be careful folk, look after yourselves!

An Upbeat Blog

I am going to be positive, this may change over the coming days, but, I got out early this morning, and it was very quiet, indeed, I didn't get within 5 metres of anyone else, and there were very few others around at the time. But I may well have to get out even earlier over the next couple of months, and depending on any curfew that may come into force. I wouldn't want to beat the bug, but get shot dead. Anyway, it was certainly safer than being in the crush at supermarkets around 07.00-08.00 hours!

Came back eastwards and reached Rock-a-Nore, windy and a wee bit choppy there.

On return, I walked back past Hastings Fishermen's Museum (closed indefinitely), to my left, and finished my walk about 08.30 hours, and now...

As soon as I reached home I battened down the hatches and, as I hinted at above, I do hope any curfew will allow me to remain healthy, I'd hate to be shot... 

I hope my photographs give some pleasure to those confined to barracks.

Advice etc about Coronavirus given with an earlier blog. Be careful folks!

Calm before the Storm...

This morning, the calm before the storm; oh yes, and rumour has it that someone with a surfboard has been spotted down at Rock-a-Nore...

A Quiet Weekend

I've had a very quiet weekend, I know there are all sorts of markets and Christmas thingies going on, but I really just wanted a nice quiet weekend, so I'm having one. I had a wander into the 'old town' yesterday morning, and noticed that the Ferris Wheel (older blog), down in-between Flamingo Park and the beach, has been folded down, presumably for the winter. Why does this mean so much to me and my peace and tranquility? Well, in the early hours, when it is still dark, and when windy, it makes one hell of a spooky noise as the wind blows through the structure, so I'll have a more peaceful, less spooky walk to Rock-a-Nore for the next few months, many thanks!

RX134 - The Stacey Marie

Why I was actually heading towards Rock-a-Nore Road was to take some photographs, with blue sky at last, of RX134, The Stacey Marie, a bit of a passion (blog).

Happy end to the Weekend!

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?!?

Beach Clean Images

From the Blue Reef Aquarium facebook page: "Thank you so much to everyone that came today! The turn out was incredible. We will do a count up of the rubbish bags this afternoon and let you know. If anyone took any pictures they would be happy to be used on future publicity material, then please do post them on here or email them to hastings@bluereefaquarium.co.uk. 

"Enjoy the rest of your weekend knowing you kicked it off to a good start by helping the environment and your local community."

Good stuff!