Promenade Open Again Opposite The Carlisle...

At last, the heavy machinery/pumps have been removed opposite the Carlisle pub, and we have a clear promenade again...

Fire Station Open Day, RNLI Vacancy, plus more this Weekend

On Sunday, the 21st of August, the Bohemia Road Community Fire Station, strangely enough up Bohemia Road, TN34 1EX, on the right as you go uphill, is having an Open Day. Doors will be open and visitors will be welcome between 11.00am and 4.00pm, with "fun for all the family" 🚒 and I know the son of a certain friend will be absolutely delighted to attend! 

"Crews will be showcasing their new Aerial Ladder Platform" and activities will be "going on throughout the day, including a Breathing Apparatus drill and Chip pan fire demonstration" and "firefighters will also be providing advice on road, water and home safety" (Hastings in East Sussex Town Guide).

And while we're talking about Emergency Services, you could always visit Hastings RNLI Lifeboat Station at The Stade TN34 3AR (facebook page). Indeed, I noticed that they are looking for a volunteer to join them in the role of Deputy Launching Authority. The closing date for applications is the 2nd of October 2022, and the role description and further details can be found at the website. 

Of course there is always plenty to do in Hastings, museums, art galleries, amusement arcades, crazy golf courses, parks, the beach and promenade, restaurants, cafes and pubs, and, of course, fish & chips, but beware of the gulls swooping down to pinch any food you may have, chips, ice cream, whatever, just look up and they're like vultures! 

Also, there is the award winning Hastings Pier too, great to extend your promenading on, but also with music from this evening until Sunday, see their facebook page for details. There's plenty more music around town too, always worth a wander around the Old Town any evening, certainly over the weekend/Sunday afternoon, including live music at St Mary in the Castle this evening and tomorrow, music at The Carlisle tomorrow evening and Sunday afternoon, local band Cushty playing at the Dolphin Inn on Saturday evening (it will be busy!), and the Martin Blackman Band will be playing at the Lord Nelson pub on Sunday from 5.00pm, but look out for more music elsewhere!

The weather should be okay over the weekend (Met Office), enjoy!

Fat Tuesday Festival Continues...

As I said in my blog the other day, today sees 40 artists and bands playing 15 minutes acoustic sets for Unplugged, from 1 pm to 6 pm, at 25 venues across Hastings (between 8 and 11 acts at each venue! - website). Not just all that free live music, but today and tomorrow (Sunday) Sonics 2020 (website) is a 2 day "celebration of experimental music, sound art and film." Plus, this evening/night from 8 pm to 2 am, is Le Grand Mardi Gras Ball, costing £22.50 (Tickets can be bought from the website).

Sadly, due to the bad weather forecast tomorrow (Sunday), the Umbrella Parade will not be experienced walking along the seafront this year (website), BUT! Head to the White Rock Theatre anyway, where 'dancers, musicians and lots of umbrellas' will be in abundance from 12 noon to 5 pm for Preservation Sunday (website).

In addition, Sonics 2020 (website) continues for its second day, and Under the Radar will be held, with 4 stages hosting "the best emerging young talent from across the UK, curated by BBC Introducing, Academy of Contemporary Music, Incubate (from The Eggtooth Project) and the Joe Strummer Foundation" (website). Under the Radar begins from 2 pm at The Carlisle, with the last act at that venue planned to come on stage at 7.30 pm, and from 5 pm to 11 pm at The Printworks, where it looks like, from the website, there may be more music on Monday the 24th!

So, plenty of musical fun to come, and even more on Monday, culminating with the Fat Tuesday Tour on the 25th, carry on enjoying Mardi Gras folks!

Steampunk Circus of Curiosities 2019

As if there isn't already much to do and see this weekend, Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th September also sees the Hastings Steampunk Circus of Curiosities at St Leonards Show Ground, Magdalen Road TN37 6EG (website for tickets/information). Also, this evening (13th) from 18.00 to 23.55 at The Carlisle, 24 Pelham Street, at the seafront, is their Preparty (facebook), it keeps on keeping on!

Artificial Lakes a Year Apart!

The lake  reported in my blog the other day has been sorted out, as in, it is no more, and it appears it may well have been the same problem as a year ago when, apparently following storm damage to the drainage pipe on the beach that goes into the sea below the Carlisle, a 'lake' appeared in the same place (blog).

This piece of heavy moving equipment on the beach yesterday, plus the rather large piece of pipe next to it, gave me the hint that the problem was probably the same...

Let's hope the problem is really sorted out!

Yet Another Water Leak!

Walking down behind Jempsons, on my way to the Old Town early this morning, and I quipped to the gentleman cleaning the windows of Jempsons "When did a river start flowing down here?!?" OK...

This is where it flowed from, and the drains couldn't cope with the deluge, but the river came from this lake, by the Carlisle... I thought we had a similar problem earlier this year, but, looking back, it was actually a year ago in December 2017, sort it out for good this time Southern Water, please!

A wander along the seafront, and some news...

OK, excuse me for being way behind the news, and I realise this isn't on the seafront, but I do live close by, hence the first photograph here, but! Yes, you probably do already know that Primark is coming to Hastings, and is to be situated in the old BHS store, with the fitting of the store commencing this Spring, and likely opening in the Summer (news website), good news I think, maybe not for other clothing stores though...

There was a meeting at the White Rock Theatre of Hastings Pier 'Shareholders and Supporters' yesterday, which unfortunately I couldn't attend, but it looks like the meeting was very positive. I've seen that many ideas were shared, and proposals agreed to, notably that Friends of Hastings Pier is to be rejuvenated, as soon as I see any further information I shall share this, and if you are a shareholder, or wish to support the future of the People's Pier, you may wish to join their facebook closed group (page).

Hmmm... There are a number of drainage pipes still sat on the beach by Denmark Place, opposite the Carlisle pub, Pelham Street, outside which, in December, the road was flooded for a few days, apparently because of water backing up from the water drainage outlet that was damaged by Storm Brian in October...

When will they be replaced?!?

The move of the Roebuck Surgery in the old town High Street to a Health Centre within the Ice House building in Rock-a-Nore Road is going ahead (website), again this may be old news to many people, but I hadn't taken a photograph down there for a while now! The main opposition appears to have come from 1) That public transport does not go to the door, though it didn't in the High Street, but it was a bit closer there. 2) That traffic gets overwhelming in Rock-a-Nore Road at times, notably in peak season, and where will parking be for staff and patients?

I believe that Rock-a-Nore Road is being widened, effectively by taking away the pavements, levelling the surface across the road with walking space designated for pedestrians. Planned better, the car park at the end of the road could easily allow for more spaces, and an electronic system could also be set up to let drivers know that the car park is 'full' at the mouth to Rock-a-Nore Road. With the widening of the road, 'dropping off' spaces outside the Health Centre could be allowed for too. 

What this needs is sensible planning, though, and we've seen for years how the road can clog up because people drive down to a full car park in peak season, or at other busy times, and then have to drive back with multiple traffic lights as you rejoin the main road. However, little has been done to solve this problem previously, perhaps replace the lights with a small roundabout, but something definitely needs to be done now...