Happy New Year!

Peace and Good Will to you! 

Bottle Alley: work to start, at last!

It will have been a year since I first reported that Bottle Alley would be restored (6th January 2015), and for the restoration work to begin, next month we are told... 

At last, I can't wait!

Running away from West Marina Gardens again!

As I walked westwards this morning I saw what I thought must have been a delayed by a day, due to Christmas, Hastings Park Run (see website), which I wrote about some time ago now, ie the 5km Saturday morning run for health that starts at 09.00 every Saturday. Coincidentally, a couple of weeks ago, I was at the start of the equivalent run on Wimbledon Common, when visiting family for pre-Christmas drink and present swap... 

Anyway, back to Hastings... but this wasn't the Park Run, it was a run organised by Charity for Kids (website), a local charity set up in 2011 to provide help to disabled, sick and terminally ill children and their families, a good cause indeed!  

Public Library Cutbacks...

From January you can voice your opinion...

As a contribution to the £90million 'savings' that National Government is forcing on East Sussex County Council over the next 3 years, £500,000 will be cut from the running costs via cutting opening hours of public libraries across the county; a total cut of £2million is being targeted to the library service overall, during the same period.  

We will be 'consulted' in the New Year to make our own contributions to how opening hours should be cut; for more information about the consultation, and other reductions to the library service, see the website. Ensure you have your say!    

Peace on Earth...

It's that time of year, which should be every time of year really, but now I'm passing on festive best wishes to everyone, regardless of race, religion, nationality, gender or age! 

Also, my thoughts and thanks go to those who work on public holidays, or are on call, ensuring the safety of the rest of us, including staff in the caring services, eg nurses and doctors, but also other back-up and administrative staff, and, of course, the emergency services, which includes RNLI volunteers; it's a couple of years since I had to work a Christmas night shift... 

Let's keep up the goodwill into the New Year!  

Seasonal Refuse, Recycling and Council Opening Times

For refuse collection, recycling, and all other council hours of business this holiday season, see the HBC website.

Sustainable Fishing - Good and Bad News...

Good and bad news for the Hastings fishing fleet, first, the quota for plaice caught by our local fishing fleet has increased a wee bit, good news, indeed... but then, despite the opportunity to catch a plentiful local supply of cod, a similar increase has been give to boats that fish in the North Sea only (more at the Guardian website and at the Marine Conservation Society website). 

Sadly, the MAFF and British politicians appear to fail Hastings again!  

Road Maintenance..

East Sussex County Council have selected Costain CH2M to hold the contract for all road maintenance from May 2016 (website), to include road repair, pavements, verges, lighting, signals and gritting, should we see a winter!   

Link Road opens...

The Link Road opens, not everyone's cup of tea... See BBC website.

Southern Rail Industrial Action? Latest...

I suggested a few weeks ago that there may be trouble ahead, and members of the RMT working for Southern Railway have voted for industrial action, as the RMT have announced, because of a "comprehensive breakdown" in industrial relations. See the BBC website for more information...

Town Centre closed off due to 'bomb hoax'!

OK, it may appear to be old news, but I've been in London since Friday lunch-time, when this was still happening! I walked into the town centre from the old town about 10.30, and saw a man being arrested in the middle of the road, close by Iceland! 

Then, I couldn't walk through the centre to get to the railway station, and I'd never seen so many police officers in Hastings, EVER!! You'll be aware by now that this was a hoax of some sort, but more information can be found on the Sussex Police website. thankfully no bombs were planted! 

St Michaels: Christmas on the Coast tomorrow!

The St Michaels Hospice charity event: Christmas on the Coast is tomorrow,  Saturday 12th, and includes Santa's Wacky Sleigh Race!

The event starts at 10.00 at the Stade, with the race starting at 11.00, commencing at the Stade, then to the Pier and back, have fun!

For more details go to the hospice website.

Christmas appears to be a-coming!

I was amazed to see an ice-rink right in front of THE Tower, to the left of the main entry gate, when I was up in London a few weeks ago, and now I see the smaller Hastings version has a roof this year!  

It's not often I eat out, but...

Strange, the different reasons we eat out... When my ex-wife and I separated, I maintained that I should carry on eating out at my favourite places, even if on my own, mostly. Consequently, I carried on eating at places where I felt comfortable to eat alone. For lunch, 4 years ago, I regularly enjoyed eating at the First in Last Out (FILO), when the kitchen space was similar to a small galley kitchen at the end of the bar, for those who remember. 

Then the kitchen was moved out to the back and is much larger now, and what used to be the old 'garden' has become a restaurant area, particularly in the evening and on Saturday lunchtime, though you can still enjoy a good meal or bar snacks in the bar area. Anyway, the occasions I now eat out alone are fewer due to altered personal circumstances, and, as I hadn't eaten at the FILO for quite a while, and felt good, I decided to eat there again.

I ordered at the bar, before descending to the bright clean restaurant area, with a large glass of Merlot in my right hand, and a glass of water in my left. What did I order? Well there was a fair choice of meals on offer on the Lunch Menu, and many more on the 'Specials' Board, including vegetarian options, and so I made my request of the friendly young woman behind the bar...

I started off with 'Warm flatbread and organic houmous'. Looked to be a straight-forward choice, though not just this appeared on my wooden serving board (nice touch), but also a small pot of olives in olive oil and a lovely fresh salad of various leaves, beansprouts, grated carrot, red pepper and cherry tomatoes. Following this, I realised I wouldn't be ordering a pudding after the main meal!

My main meal was "Pan seared lambs liver, dauphinoise, buttered new carrots and fresh seasonal vegetables." The liver was tender, and served with a gorgeous port jus (there was a small jug of extra jus on the side, and the chef explained to me how it was made when I asked later, many thanks!). All the vegetables were well cooked, and I don't mean as my mother used to cook, sorry mum, but they were just right! You can take it that I enjoyed my meal, and I couldn't add a third course, as suggested, though there were tempting puddings available. Afterwards, I licked the plate, metaphorically of course... 

There is a different menu in the evenings, except on Sundays, and specialised evening menus on Mondays, 'Spanish Tapas', and Thursdays, when a rather interesting range of dishes make up the 'Indian Thali' menu. More detail and sample menus can be seen at their website and, of course, Christmas is a-coming, including  food on Sundays!

First In Last Out, 14-15 High Street, TN34 3EY.

Telephone: 01424 425079

Email: sharon@thefilo.co.uk 

New Lifeboat for Hastings!

After months of concern about the continuation of the full lifeboat service in Hastings, it has been confirmed that a new Shannon class all-weather lifeboat is replacing the retiring boat, Sealink Endeavour (website). 

Good luck, best wishes, and compliments to the Hastings lifeboat crew and support! 

Saturday events in Hastings and nearby...

3 weeks to go still, but Christmas influences events! 

At the lifeboat station from 11.00 to 15.00 tomorrow (Saturday 5th December) plenty is happening. including singing, coffee and cakes and biscuits (website). 

Across at the Stade Hall, from 10.30 to 16.30, is the Animal Charities Xmas Fayre.

And up at Sedlescombe is Hastings Handicrafts Big Christmas Arts & Crafts Fair, from 10.00 to 15.00, if you fancy a short trip from Hastings (website). 

Enjoy a good weekend!