Hastings Lifeboat Volunteer Recruitment Event 25th March

I spotted this poster advertising the Hastings RNLI Volunteer Recruitment Event which is being held tomorrow (Saturday 25th of March), from 11.00 to 13.00 at the Lifeboat Station at The Stade TN34 3AR. They are looking for volunteers to join their Water Safety Team, Fundraisers, Visitor Centre Guides, and Lifeguards (facebook).

As ever, much respect. 👍

Fat Tuesday Music Festival Sunday 27th Umbrella Parade plus...

So, this Sunday, and hopefully the wind will not seriously effect the parade, is the planned Umbrella Parade, forming at The Stade from 11.30, starting at 12 noon heading for St Mary in the Castle (website). There, from 12.30 to 2.00 pm, is the Preservation Sunday party (website), free entry with music, dancing, food and drink!

Also, from 1.00 to 10.00 pm at The Crypt, 57 Robertson Street TN34 1HY, is Sunday Sonics (website), free entry for a mixture of live music, art, DJ sets, film and more!

Enjoy your Sunday, and stay safe folks! 

Classic Car Show at The Stade

I spotted this morning that a Classic Car Show (visit1066country) is on at The Stade, certainly looked impressive early doors!

FreeWheelin FEASTival TODAY!

As I was walking past the Stade earlier I noticed that there has been a "feastival" over the weekend, sorry I missed that folks, I was at football on Saturday, not been around until early today. Anyway, Day FOUR is today, open from 10.00 until 18.00 (website).

Have a great Bank Holiday Monday folks!!

Greenpeace Film includes Hastings Stade

An interesting Greenpeace article about the fishing quota that I missed at the time, but still with important information that adds to my recent blog. It also includes some footage from a few years back of Hastings fishing boats and the Stade.

Well worth reading!

Hastings RNLI Lifeboat Quiz Night

This Tuesday evening, and another fun money raising activity for Hastings Lifeboat Station (facebook), Tuesday 19th of November 2019, 7.30pm start, Quiz Night at East Hastings Sea Angling Association at The Stade; £2.50 per person, maximum 6 people per team... Have fun supporting the RNLI in Hastings!

Will this ever be used again?!?

This was from two years ago (at the west end of the Stade Cafe), I cannot remember the last time this advertising display was working/being used?!? 😕

Hastings Old Town Carnival Week 2019

Carnival Week (3rd to the 11th August - website) returns! As traditional, it really begins with the Tug-o-War at 10.30 am, by the Stade, and in front of Hastings Lifeboat Station by the railway line, but officially the opening ceremony begins at 12.00 by the flagstaff outside Hastings Fishermen's Museum, Rock-a-Nore Road.

Every year plenty is organised for Carnival Week, including many recurring events, for example, in liaison with Stade Saturdays, the Nearly on the Beach concerts, Saturday and Sunday afternoons/evenings (3rd-4th): starting 1.30 pm on Saturday and 1.00 pm on Sunday (website). For full details of events for the week, please go to the website, as there are way too many to mention here, although I have written a separate blog about the return of the OHPS free Stade Guided Walk (among many other guided walks this week!) that meets outside Hastings Fishermen's Museum on many days this week.

Whatever you do this week, enjoy yourselves!

A weekend wander East and West...

I ensured I got out early, before it became too warm, but we do have a few steep hills in Hastings, notably these 2, and it wasn't chilly at all! As I live in the centre of town I began by walking up the West Hill, first of all to take this photograph from outside Hastings Castle (images within are included in my older blog).

Taken of the 'old town' looking down from the West Hill, most will already be well aware that the 'old town' is actually the Norman New Hastings. This became the new centre following the great storms of the 13th century, which altered the local coastline, depositing a vast bank of shingle which helped to create the America Ground at the west of the new town centre, and filled in the old harbour over which the castle stood, got that? Maybe it's better explained in an older blog about the America Ground.

I then headed down to the 'old town' and passed one of our two Norman churches on the corner of the High Street and opposite Swan Terrace, St Clement Church (blog).

I then crossed The Bourne, now a road, but once a river running through the centre of the old town, and part of local drains I do believe. I walked up to and along Tackleway to above All Saints Church, the other Norman church, where I took this photograph (more about this church, and photographs inside and out, on this older blog).

I then walked up the East Hill, from where I took this photograph looking down into the 'old town' and across to the West Hill. Oh yes, by the way, there are iron age forts at the top of both hills too!

Before I had an early drink at the Dolphin Inn, and then visited the Sussex Street Food Festival on the Stade Open Space (blog), and then had a drink at the Jolly Fisherman (I was thirsty!), I wandered down the steps that start by the top of the East Hill Lift, and down to Tackleway, and then turned left down to Rock-a-Nore Road.

Jimmy Toller R.I.P.

As I said in my blog towards the end of last year Jimmy 'Toller' Adams' funeral is today (Friday 18th January) from 2pm at Hastings Cemetery/Crematorium; afterwards people are coming down to the East Hastings Sea Angling Association club at The Stade...

Great to have known you James, R.I.P. 😢

Jazz Hastings

Tina May

I picked up a leaflet in the launderette in the High Street early doors with details of the first 6 months of the 2019 Jazz Hastings at the East Hastings Sea Angling Association, opposite the Lifeboat Station by The Stade. The first gig this year is the Tina May Trio next week, and entry is usually £10 on the door for all gigs, starting at 8.30pm (under 18s for £3, and no membership required - website):

15th January 2019 - Tina May Trio; 

12th February 2019 - Rod Youngs: The Power of Three;

12th March 2019 - The Oxley-Meier Guitar Project; 

9th April 2019 - Henry Lowther's Still Waters; 

7th May 2019 - Toni Kofi: A Portrait of Cannonball; 

4th June 2019 - Julian Nicholas Band.

The leaflet also mentions that last Sundays in the month see free associated gigs playing at the FILO public house in the High Street, 7.30pm to 10.00pm; line-ups are often decided late in the day, but there is always quality jazz to enjoy!

Tuesday's Old Town Walk + Lifeboat Quiz Night...

This afternoon the Old Hastings Preservation Society (OHPS) will be leading their regular Tuesday afternoon free guided walk of Hastings Old Town, which will be meeting by the top of the West Hill Lift at 2.30pm. You will be shown around the old town, with its historic buildings, twittens, and plentiful stories, by a volunteer guide from the OHPS, who will also explain the huge number of talented celebrities of their age who have visited and/or lived here, and still do, eg a number of the Pre-Raphaelites in the 19th century (blog).

The walk proceeds across the West Hill and gently downhill into Hastings Old Town, with a number of steps included, and lasts about 2 hours. This guided walk is free of charge, though the OHPS, a registered charity, would be very grateful for all donations made, many thanks (website). You are advised to wear comfortable walking shoes, and the weather is forecast to be sunny all day (Met Office), so Factor 50 and/or head covering may well be required. Have a good afternoon!

Later on, this evening, starting at 7.30pm, there will be a Quiz Night at East Hastings Sea Angling Association by the Stade in aid of Hastings Lifeboat (facebook page). There will be a maximum of 4 people allowed per team, at a cost of £2.50 per person, with complimentary nibbles provided, good luck if you enter!

Hastings Weekend Pre-Jack in the Green.

We all are aware that on Monday, thousands will swell Hastings old town streets, notably with the great weather forecast, but also sees the 40th May Day Run, so thousands of motorbikes too (website), and with events all over the weekend at the Stade and Rock music at the Azur Marina Pavilion on Sunday, plenty to do... Also at:

Saturday to Monday and Hastings Pier has 3 days of aPIERtite (website), too much to mention here, but free admission, street food from all over the world, music and other entertainment, not to mention walking onto the award winning Hastings Pier! As you will have seen in other blogs (for example), there is a campaign to raise money to keep the Pier in community ownership by Friends of Hastings Pier, I've pledged money at Crowdfunding, if you have any money to pledge too, please do, the people of Hastings and visitors who love the Pier will be extremely grateful, many thanks!

Of course, by Monday morning we'll have built up the tension to see the Jack released from the Fishermen's Museum in Rock-a-Nore Road and the ensuing procession, but music, dancing and general entertainment is to be had all over the old town today (Saturday) and tomorrow; go to the website for more details.

Lots of fun to be had this weekend, indeed!

What to see in Hastings?

Recently, I've been asked to suggest what to see in Hastings "apart from the obvious tourist attractions" - hmmm... the only way I think I can answer this, is to list a number of things/places that are mostly free, and if anyone else wants to add anything else in the comments below, please feel free to add, cheers! The comment was added to my blog about Hastings Castle, so I thought I'd say, to start with, the views from the West Hill (above, where the Castle is situated) and the East Hill  are gorgeous! Can be a wee bit tiring walking up to the top of both, but they do both have lifts (not free), from George Street and Rock-a-Nore Road appropriately.

I'm, sort of, starting from east to west, but will go off at a tangent every now and then, eg here, when considering the 2 Hastings parks that recently won national awards (blog), ie Hastings Country Park Local Nature Reserve (above) and Alexandra Park. Hastings Country Park is accessed from the East Hill, running eastwards and along the top of the cliffs, though a deviation is sign-posted thanks to a landslip (I won't go into the politics of that here!), and great views and interesting wildlife! Alexandra Park, meanwhile, is situated further west just above Hastings town centre (blog). 

Rock-a-Nore Road

Coming down from the East Hill (seen in the background in the photograph above the buildings to the left), you get to Rock-a-Nore Road, from here all the way down to the end of Rock-a-Nore, there is plenty to see and do! This is the heart of the local fishing industry, with the fish market a third of the way down to the right, the fishermen's huts to the right, and the Stade, the shingle beach from which the fishing boats are launched (Visit1066 website), and landed; if you turn up at the right time, depending on tides and weather, you could well see a boat coming in to land! As you'd expect, plenty of fish is available to buy, either from the shops to the left, and in front of the market to the right, or direct from the fishermen in huts in-between the road and the beach on the right.

The Stade

If you go down Rock-a-Nore Road, past the market, there is the Blue Reef Aquarium (website), which costs to visit, but well worth the visit! Opposite the Aquarium is the Shipwreck Museum (website), both on the right-hand side as you go down the road, and which is free to enter. And just before that is Hastings Fishermen's Museum (blog), which has great exhibits, and a wealth of knowledge about the local fishing industry and its history, this is also free to enter, and its outside exhibits start well before you reach the museum itself, with RX134 The Stacey Marie (I have to mention this and the blog again!) and a rather large anchor, right opposite the Dolphin Inn, which is below the cliffs in Rock-a-Nore Road.

If you go up the first turning to the left in Rock-a-Nore Road, ie All Saints Street, you will find a wonderful road with many medieval, and newer, delightful buildings. This leads up to one of Hastings two remaining Norman churches, All Saints Church (blog), not often open, but it could be worth checking when it is, as it is a delight inside.

Down in front of the church is the Cyril and Lilian Bishop (blog), the Hastings lifeboat at the time of World War II, and which went to help the evacuation of troops at Dunkirk, and is a great memorial. This is on the corner with Old London Road, and if you walk a little further up Old London Road, on the right, is another retired lifeboat (worked from Eastbourne, I believe), the Priscilla MacBean (blog). In addition, down by The Stade and beach you can visit the RNLI Hastings Lifeboat Station (website).

If you cross the road, The Bourne (roughly above what was the old river Bourne), come back downhill and on the right is High Street (nearly opposite the Cyril and Lilian Bishop), another road full of wonderful buildings, though not as old as in All Saints Street, but most of the way down, just up a road to your right, Swan Terrace, is the other remaining Norman church of Hastings, St Clements (blog). Also, in this road, and in George Street, a little further down towards the seafront and on the right as you walk down the hill, there are a whole stack of shops full of interesting things to peruse!

But, if you want to explore above High Street and up to the West Hill, or back in All Saints Street and up to the East Hill, there are a maze of old lanes and alleys, which in Hastings are called twittens, another free delight, with a few dead ends here and there!

Coming back down to the front, obviously there are a couple of miles of promenade to enjoy, and below the castle up on West Hill there is St Mary in the Castle and Pelham Crescent, built nearly 200 years ago (blog). The restaurant below has access to the crypt (the toilets are there), now and then an exhibition is on in the crypt, and if you can get to visit the old church itself (eg if a concert is being played in there), it's well worth the visit, gorgeous building! Carry on westwards and you reach Hastings Pier, where you may promenade, or investigate, or have a drink or meal.

But before you walk too far, have a walk up Cambridge/Bohemia Road and you will reach Hastings Museum and Art Gallery (blog), well worth the visit!

Marine Court

Indeed, there are some amazing buildings along the front, not to mention in-between the Pier and Warrior Square Gardens (worth looking at) on the Lower promenade there is Bottle Alley (blog), quite a thrill to walk through there after dark with it's lighting display, which seems to begin as soon as dusk arrives! You are now at St Leonards (still Hastings Borough), and you reach the wonderful art deco/modernist Marine Court (website), built copying the design of the Queen Mary ship, this was the tallest apartment block in the country when it was built in the 1930s!

Carry on past Marine Court and you soon reach the Royal Victoria Hotel, turn right just after and walk up past the Freemasons Hall, and you reach St Leonards Gardens (blog), another beautifully designed oasis of peace to walk around!

Of course, in addition to all this and the shops, there are numerous restaurants, bars and pubs to enjoy, not to mention a fish & chip shop or twenty, and much more...

I trust this helps someone to enjoy the wonderful town that is Hastings!

Saturday 9th December...

As we all know, there's always something going on in Hastings, so I shall just pick out a few events this Saturday starting with St Michael's Hospice's Christmas on the Coast at the Stade Hall in Hastings Old Town, from 11am to 4pm. The event itself is free, though with parts that cost, eg raffle, tombola and stalls, and is mostly child-oriented, though with something for everyone so adults shouldn't be bored; further information can be found at St Michael's website.

For children aged between 4 and 8 years old, during the afternoon from 2.30 to 4.30pm, Hastings Winkle Club are hosting the Children's Christmas at East Hastings Sea Angling Association's Function Room, at the Stade opposite the Lifeboat Station. For further information go to the Winkle Club's facebook page.

Then, in the evening, from 7.30pm, is the Christmas Soul Party, featuring live bands in aid of St Michael's Hospice and 'Surviving Christmas' at St Mary in the Castle; tickets £10 on the door, but can be purchased for £8.50 at Hastings Tourist Information Centre, Muriel Matters House, beforehand (I believe it closes at 5pm). For further information go to St Michael's website.

Truly, something for everyone, have fun!

Hastings Lifeboat Quiz

Join the crew, support staff and volunteers of the Hastings Lifeboat for a fun fund-raising Quiz Night tomorrow, Tuesday 28th of November, at the East Hastings Sea Angling Association (opposite the Lifeboat Station at the Stade), starting 7.30pm. Help to raise money for the Hastings Lifeboat Station, with complimentary nibbles, and a raffle, not to mention the quiz. Indeed, a charity well worth supporting; see website.

RX60 Coming in to land yesterday (photographs)

It was wee bit dismal at times yesterday, but I noticed RX60 coming in to land, so thought a few photographs would be in order!

Hastings still has the largest beach-launched fishing fleet in Europe, and it wasn't just me watching, but a fair number of Great Black-Backed Gulls too, dwarfing our usual resident Herring Gulls in number and size!

Got there!

Hastings Seafood & Wine Festival 2017 this weekend!

OK, there's so much going on at the moment, what with Arts, Music and Fringe Festivals, but, this being Hastings, we've another festival this weekend, the 2017 Seafood & Wine Festival at The Stade! Obviously, seafood and wine, but so much more, tastings, cookery demonstrations, champagne breakfasts, music, and the usual mini-beer festival provided by the FILO Brewing Company, together with other local ales, ciders, lagers, and, of course, wine (the Beermeister hopes to be able to provide a list of the ales available asap, if possible I shall publish more details). Tickets for the festival are £2 in advance, cover both days, and can be bought at the Tourist Information Centre on the ground floor at Muriel Matters House, or bought 'on the door' for £3; the breakfast on Sunday costs more too, with entertainment, as usual, provided by internationally famed Liane Carroll. See website for further details.

And I apologise for the fuzziness of the above photograph, but it was very windy yesterday early morning, but this evening, in the 'music tent' at the Stade Beach, music kicks off the weekend with Super-Ska Night. OK, not as selective as this, and without the pressure or missing words, but here are samples of a band I saw many years ago (video and video), this is ska! Tickets are £8.50 in advance from the Tourist Information Centre at Muriel Matters House, or £10 on the door.

Enjoy the weekend!

This weekend, and it's not just about a lifeboat...

Cyril & Lilian Bishop with Auction Items today

Indeed, this weekend isn't just about the Cyril and Lilian Bishop (see recent blog), though memories of another lifeboat, the Priscilla MacBean, being hauled up The Bourne in November 2014 do tend to prejudice which event I believe to be the most important this weekend (see blog)! It is intended to start hauling the Cyril and Lilian Bishop up All Saints Street at 11.00am tomorrow, but speeches and blessings, and no doubt some music, will occur from 10.30. In addition, this evening from 6pm, there will be an auction of donated goods, and more, from the boat, on the Stade below All Saints Street and Winkle Island.

Of course, there are also the usual places to visit and enjoy, not least Hastings Pier, where Cinema on the Pier continues this weekend, and an interesting looking Street Food Festival is being held on Saturday and Sunday (see website). Also, the Old Hastings Preservation Society (OHPS) have organised a guided walk around the Stade Fishing Quarter on Sunday morning (18th), meeting up at the Fishermen's Museum in Rock-a-Nore Road at 11am. The walk is free and lasts about 90 minutes; you are guided by an experienced volunteer so any donations to Hastings Fishermen's Museum would be most welcome, many thanks. See website for further information, you are advised to wear strong walking shoes, and the application of Factor 50 may not be entirely unwise!

Enjoy the weekend.

Classroom on the Coast Workshops

A team from Billingsgate Seafood School are coming to Hastings today to provide workshops at Classroom on the Coast, The Stade. A Box of Seafood will be the best of the local catch of the week, and may be dabs, gurnard, whiting, plaice, mackerel, cuttlefish, whatever is caught.  Get a feel for the seasonality of seafood and support local fishermen at the same time. Attendees will learn about the respective species and how to prepare and cook them. There are 2 workshops today, and also more to come on 11th February and 25th March; fee £32 for cost of ingredients, recipes etc (see website). 

Box of Seafood Workshops, Saturday 14th January 2017 

Times: 09.30 to 11.30 and 12.15 to 14.15