Hastings Town Deal Board Bid Approved

Further to my recent blog, Hastings Borough Council has confirmed that Central Government has approved its bid for £1million funding for 4 projects: 

Restoration of the courtyard space at the White Rock Baths/Source Park;

Employment, Events & Advice Hub at East Sussex College;

Increasing number of electric vehicle charging points;

New retail, training & outdoor space behind Claremont.

For further information go to the Council website.

New Kiosk, Seating et al...

I've given up waiting to post this image, the new kiosk just on the seafront, at the end of the America Ground, to the left, as you look at the photograph, is a new wooden staircase down to the beach, where tons of enormous (Norwegian, I have been advised) rocks are being shaped into 2 groynes! At the public presentation at the White Rock Hotel in June last year (link to relevant blog) I was told that this would be an 'information' kiosk, but artist designs around during the many months this was being constructed appeared to show food and beverages being sold, we'll see...

I had really wanted to wait until this seating, in front of the old baths/Source Park, was available to the public, but, what the heck...

White Rock Baths on the television!

I don't have a television, but have just discovered that the White Rock Baths were on BBC South East Today, yesterday, fast forward to 22 minutes into the programme, and see how the building looked and was used in the 19th century, and developments in the last 140 years, to how it looks now! Here's a link.

Work begins at White Rock Baths

Work began yesterday at White Rock Baths for its transformation into a BMX and Skateboard Park, see the BBC. Here's an image from yesteryear. 

£500,000 boost to Hastings

Hastings has received a boost with the approval of a £500,000 grant from the Coastal Communities Fund (CCF) to contribute towards improvements to the seafront and visitor attractions and amenities in Hastings, including more bikes for hire, improved signage, information walks and trails and landscaping. The CCF estimates it will contribute towards the creation of about 260 jobs (website). 

Councillor Jeremy Birch said that this "is excellent news and really fits with the seafront strategy which we recently agreed. The restoration of the Pier is well underway, White Rock Baths will re-open this year as a BMX centre and we are putting money into refurbishing Bottle Alley and now we have succeeded in attracting an additional £500,000 to improve the seafront further." 

The creation of that many jobs looks to be a wee bit optimistic of the Coastal Communities Fund, but good to be receiving more finance at a time when central government funding of Hastings is being cut... a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing maybe?