Don't forget, RNLI Harvest Home tomorrow and Fish Supper soon!

A reminder that the Hastings Lifeboat crew will serve you fish & chips at the Old Town Fryer, East Beach Street on Wednesday the 11th of October 2017, plus music and magic, and also a quiz and raffle... Money raised will to go to the RNLI and their excellent work protecting lives off our shore; see website for further information.

Before that, tomorrow, Saturday 30th September, the 66th Annual Harvest Home charity auction in aid of Hastings and Rye Harbour RNLI will start at 7.30pm at the New Beach Club, Pett Level (website).

Worth a reminder, and see this video on facebook!

Hastings 29 September to 1 October 2017

Well, with Hastings Week to start next weekend, you'd think this weekend would be quiet, but, of course, that would be silly of me to suggest! There will be the usual gigs in pubs and bars, numerous eating places in which to dine, you could visit the museums and parks, the aquarium, castle and caves, miniature railways, theatres, Pier of the Year and seafront (decent forecast for Saturday), oh yes! The Hastings & St Leonards Coastal Currents Arts Festival 2017 ends on Sunday 1st October, so still 3 days of that to go (see website for further details of individual events), and...

Skinny Lister

Hastings Music Month continues until the end of October, quite a long month indeed! To help celebrate Music Month, Stade Saturdays (website) features Skinny Lister (website) on the stage at the Stade Open Space tomorrow (30th September) from 7.30pm. For more details of Music Month events go to the website, an eclectic mix including classical music, folk and Lulu at the White Rock Theatre; do also note the error, though, as the Tune Raiders will be playing at the Dolphin Inn every Tuesday as they always do, and not playing at the Blue Dolphin fish & chip shop!

Continue to enjoy yourselves!

Hastings Norman Churches Part II - All Saints Church

It's a while since I wrote about St Clements Church (blog), one of the two remaining Norman churches in Hastings, so here is my rather delayed blog about the Grade II listed All Saints Church at the top of All Saints Street and below the East Hill.

An All Saints Church appears to have existed in Hastings from as far back as the 13th century, and maybe even earlier, but that church was damaged in the French raids of 1339 and 1377 and had to be rebuilt. All Saints may have been rebuilt on the same site, or close by, either would seem likely, but I cannot find any provenance giving evidence of exactly where the older church was situated.

All Saints was rebuilt of stone and flint between 1417 and 1430, in the Perpendicular Gothic style with chequered stone parapets and tiled roofs, and the exterior is mostly early 15th century in appearance. The tower is substantial with three stages and an embattled parapet in chequerboard flintwork. A large graveyard surrounds the church.

Although restored by Butterfield in 1870, the interior architecture is also mostly genuine 15th century, that is the nave, chancel, north and south aisles, and above the chancel arch is a 15th century 'doom' painting of the Last Judgement with Christ painted seated on rainbows. From the 19th century are a timber and stone pulpit, large reredos extending up either side of the East window, windows, and choir stalls with open arcaded fronts, foliage carving and kneeling angels on the arms. For more details, see the British Listed Buildings website, where there is plenty more information!

An interesting event of the English Civil War is celebrated by a plaque at the bottom of the stairs up to the church, when Parliamentary forces on 9th July 1643, under the leadership of Colonel Herbert Morley of Glynde (then MP for Lewes, later MP for Sussex, and for Rye) and meeting no resistance, took Hastings from Royalist control and captured all weaponry. The rector of All Saints ran away, but was caught and thrown into jail, and that night some Parliamentary troops were billeted in the church.

More recently, in June this year, the Cyril and Lilian Bishop was pulled up All Saints Street to its resting birth below the church (see blog), you can't miss either, though this photograph was from before she arrived! More photographs elsewhere, eg this blog.

Food at the Hastings & St Leonards Angling Association.

I have previously said that Clare stopped cooking at the Hastings & St Leonards Angling Association club, but she's now back, and I feel quite guilty, because she's been back 2 or 3 months apparently, and I wasn't aware! Anyway, I thought I spotted her from afar recently, so dropped in to make sure, and, lo and behold, there Clare was, in the Kittiwake kitchen, excellent! See the Clare Kittiwake facebook page for up to date news regarding her kitchen and meals, and club events.

So, breakfasts from 07.00 to 12.00, and more variety than just the Full English I previously reviewed (see below), but more on that another time, and lunch from 12.00 to 15.30, every day! Thursday lunch includes a special offer for customers 60 or over, who can buy a roast dinner (includes tea or coffee) for just £5.75, 12.00 to 14.30, and she now provides a Curry Night on Wednesdays, between 6pm and 8pm. Guests to the club are very welcome, though I believe it doesn't cost that much to join.

"My most recent visit was to the Hastings & St Leonards Angling Association club (virtually opposite the Albion and just to the east of the Crazy Golf courses), where a bargain of a breakfast, and drink, is just £3.50, and they open at 07.00 hours! The only drawback seems to be a dislike of dogs, fair enough, as a friend of mine and his wee mutt weren't allowed in to enjoy a full English brekkie!

OK, it's not the most enormous of breakfasts, but see what you get for just £3.50: a very tasty 'classic' pork sausage (from M&S I believe), a nice thick rasher of bacon, fried egg, black sausage, half a tomato, sauteed potatoes, mushrooms, baked beans, a thick slice of fresh bread (or toast), and a mug of tea or coffee too... Well cooked and presented, and jolly excellent value, many thanks Clare, nice one!" (Previous blog).

The only difference I can see is that the price is now £4, so still very good value, I need to come here again soon, indeed!

The Ragnar Relay gets to Hastings and beyond...

Ragnar Relay? What is this? Well. a Ragnar Relay arrived in Hastings, or should I say, many relay teams arrived in Hastings today, and left again for Bexhill! So, what is this about? Well, the event started as an overnight 24+ hour 188 miles relay race (each race 200 miles, give or take) across the mountains of Utah, USA, in 2004, and mostly these races are held in the USA (see website). However, this year, although many of the teams do come from the USA, there has been a Maidstone - Dover - Brighton event, which was also in aid of cancer research (website).

Support Vehicle

Much of the running is done in the dark, thankfully for the runners in this race, in Kent, before coming to the beauty of the Sussex coast 😉 and the following leg was from Hastings to Bexhill, a relatively easy leg! I trust the runners could appreciate this part of the race and the gentle seafront promenade during their 200 miles...

Nice one, well done the competitors and their support!

I may be quiet for a day or two...

Just ten days... Last Wednesday, an old drinking buddy of mine, Richard, died because of cancer... A few days later, my PhD supervisor and friend, Steve, just 4 years older than me, died because of cancer... and this morning, local character, and lately a danger to all whilst zooming around Hastings in his mobility scooter, Phil Fowler, died because of cancer... not a great ten days. 

Not a great 10 days, indeed, so I may be quiet for a while, R.I.P. all 😟

The Egg hatched again yesterday!

I spotted the Exbury Egg by the Jerwood Gallery in Rock-a-Nore Road (see earlier blogs) open again yesterday, late morning/early afternoon...

So, if you're in the area, you may just be lucky and be able to have a look inside, or even pop inside, you may even meet Stephen Turner, enjoy!

RNLI Fish Supper and more...

I'm giving a fair amount of notice of this event because I can imagine tickets will sell very quickly for this evening where Hastings Lifeboat crew will serve you fish & chips at the Old Town Fryer, East Beach Street on the 11th of October 2017, plus music and magic, not to mention a quiz and raffle... Money raised to go to the RNLI and their excellent work protecting lives off our shore; see website for further information.

Before that, on Saturday 30th September, the 66th Annual Harvest Home charity auction in aid of Hastings and Rye Harbour RNLI will start at 7.30pm at the New Beach Club, Pett Level (website).

I trust you'll appreciate me not saying they'll 'sell like hotcakes' above! 😉 

More beach huts!

More beach huts east of the Pier?!? I've not seen anyone occupy those at St Leonards, west of the Azur Pavilion, opposite the Royal Victoria Hotel, yet, this year!

And yet more rail chaos coming! Hmmm...

Do you want to catch one of these trains on either the 3rd or 5th of October 2017? Well, you may not be able too, because, have a guess what?!? Yep, conductors, supported by the RMT union, are going on strike again... Why? Because they believe that trains, including 8 and 12 carriage trains, should have more than just one member of staff on board, and Southern Railway, ie the franchise owned by Govia Thameslink, think they only need one member of staff on board, and they are supported by the Government, and by taxpayers' money which funds the Government's battle against the unions (including the drivers' union Aslef)! More at this website.

Dear oh dear, when will we get a decent rail service?

Fishing from Hastings Pier

This morning 08.40, and, OK, it may not be obvious, but there, at the end of the Pier, are people fishing; sessions until the 1st of November 2017 are, Monday to Friday: 

Monday – Wednesday: 8 am-7pm

Thursday - Friday: 8am-10pm 

Rules are: 

Anglers to keep where they are fishing clean and tidy.
Take their rubbish home with them.
Wash down their fishing area with bucket & brush provided when they leave.
Sign in and pay at Paul's Tackle, 38 White Rock, TN34 1JL (tel: 01424 433404).
When entering the Pier before 10 am, entrance is through the West gate. Close the gate behind.
Overhead casting only, no pendulum casts.
When leaving the fishing area to obtain refreshments etc, all tackle must be removed from the water and hooks must be un-baited.
Use toilets provided.
No Radios, or portable stereos.
Alcohol prohibited.
No drugs.
No Smoking.
No unaccompanied under 16 year olds.
Catches to be dispatched in a humane manner.
No fish to be gutted on the pier.
Catches to be retained in bags or buckets, out of public view.
Bait cutting boards to be used at all times.
Anglers must agree to catch bag inspections, refusal will mean a ban.
Please weigh and photograph specimen or large fish, for pier records.
Duty Manager, bailiff or security guards decision is final.
Hastings Pier takes no responsibility, as fishing is carried out at own risk.

I hadn't realised fishing from the Pier had recommenced, there you go!

Sadly, a week ago...

Updating the sad news from a week ago today, and it has been difficult to confirm both events, but the Police appear to confirm that the body found in the woods by Croft Road was the 51 year-old local man who had been missing for a week (website). Also, I have found nothing in the news about the call-out of the emergency services which happened by the Aquarium in Rock-a-Nore Road on the same day, but have been told by a reliable source that this was for someone who had suffered a heart attack/cardiac arrest and who appears to have died whilst being given emergency treatment/CPR.

R.I.P. to both, and respect to our emergency services...

Seafood & Wine Festival continues...

 

Okay, the Beermeister was let down by his contact at the FILO (obviously unforgiven), so, apologies for not providing the information I hoped to about the ales available (see previous blog), but I'm sure you already know better than me by now anyway! So, the 2017 Hastings Seafood & Wine Festival carries on anyway, see the internet.

This Sunday morning sees the return of the annual Jazz Breakfast with Liane Carroll & friends, another guided walk of the Stade, meeting up outside the Fishermen's Museum, Rock-a-Nore Road, at 11.00 am (website), and much much more, enjoy!

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!

The Egg Hatches!

Today I noticed the Exbury Egg, down at Rock-a-Nore Road, with an open door, so, what did I do? Yep, I had to take a wee look inside, and it really is a tardis! SO much more room than looks possible from outside, like one of those small caravans I stayed in on holidays as a child, but with even more room inside...

So, what is happening? Well, today, they were making the inside appear as similar as possible to what it looked like when it was lived in by Stephen Turner for a year, a few years ago, and it is planned to be 'open' to the public, when feasible, from this Saturday until the 15th of October, when it ceases to be an exhibit (see my previous blog and see his website).  Indeed, everything comes from the egg!

A sad day in Hastings...

Around midday, 4 paramedic vehicles, 1 ambulance, 2 police cars, and an unmarked police car, heralded a problem down Rock-a-Nore Road, which appears to have been someone having a cardiac arrest... since, I have heard that a body has been found off Croft Road today, probably of a missing man from Hastings, not a great day, sadly...

Library closures?

It appears that more than a quarter of libraries in East Sussex will be closing, and the mobile library service will end... Details of the plans will be discussed at an East Sussex County Council cabinet meeting next week. Spokesman Nick Skelton said "significant cuts from central government" left them with "no choice".

Of course, there are opponents to any scheme to cut library services, including me of course. As a well-known song says 'Libraries gave us power' (A Design for Life), as in, knowledge is power, and the former children's laureate Chris Riddell joins me and urges the council to "think again".

Riddell asserts that "Rather than fewer libraries we need better resourced libraries, we need to cherish the libraries we have. If we lost them, the great tragedy is, we can never get them back."

The cuts have been estimated to make total savings of £653,000 a spokesperson from East Sussex County Council has said. Now, with the main Hastings Library being renovated and due to reopen next year, I imagine it is safe, but what about other library services in Hastings, including the Children's Library? Austerity cuts, hmmm...

Libraries should be saved and improved on, not closed!

See BBC website for more details.

Hastings from Hastings plays Hastings!

What am I going on about? Well, actor Matt Hastings, from Hastings, East Sussex, is going to be playing the character Lord Hastings in William Shakespeare's play Richard III at The Cockpit, Gateforth Street, London NW8 8EH (website), near Edgware Road and Marylebone railway stations, 12th October to 4th November 2017. 

Lord Hastings, by the way, is one of the many characters who may well come more than a cropper in this play of intrigue, power play, murder and battle, with Shakespeare following the fortunes of the House of York...

Another Busy Weekend in Hastings!

Hastings Music Month 2017, 8th September to 31st October (website), kicks off today with the 3-day Beano on the Sea event at Hastings Pier, including this evening one of my favourite bands of the Britpop era, with Great Things expected of Echobelly, Black Grape, and Embrace (see the Pier's website for further details and acts on Saturday and Sunday), shame about the forecast weather!

Hastings Fringe during September (website or see their facebook page) intermingles with Music Month, and the Coastal Currents Arts Festival (website): Burlesque at The Printworks Saturday 9th, theatre, film, dancing, and even more music!

Of course there are the usual events and places to see, including the penultimate Old Hastings Preservation Society (OHPS) 2017 guided walk of Hastings Old Town this Saturday 9th September, which meets up by the top of the West Hill lift at 2.30pm, with a wealth of historic buildings, twittens and cat-creeps to explore in the old town. The walk proceeds gently downhill, but there are a number of steps to manage too; see their website, which also gives details of their Stade Walks this Saturday and Sunday, meeting at 11.00 both days, outside the Fishermen's Museum in Rock-a-Nore Road, for a fascinating tour of Hastings Fishing Quarter.

The walks lasts about 2 hours and 90 minutes respectively, and are provided free of charge, though the OHPS would be grateful for all donations given to them or to Hastings Fishermen's Museum, many thanks. It's worth wearing comfortable walking shoes, obviously, and the forecast suggests it will be bright, certainly on Saturday, though maybe some rain on Sunday, so do be suitably prepared and enjoy the weekend! 

Wooden Egg-shaped Houseboat lands in Rock-a-Nore Road!

The Exbury Egg arrived in Rock-a-Nore Road yesterday, landing by the Jerwood Gallery. Artist, Stephen Turner lived on the egg in Exbury, Hampshire, for a year between 2013-14, and since then it appears to have been travelling the country as an exhibit, and now is in Hastings.

Stephen, helped by architect Wendy Perring, designed the houseboat as a means to 'explore the nature of the landscape and the meaning of place' in a time of environmental change, and the 6 metres long and 3.5 metres wide egg was built by boat builder Paul Baker. 

It's now time for Hastings folk to appreciate the project!

OHPS Old Town Guided Walk this afternoon.

The last Old Hastings Preservation Society (OHPS) 2017 Tuesday guided walk of Hastings Old Town, the "premier ancient Cinque Port," meets up by the top of the West Hill lift at 2.30pm; though please note there are still two similar walks planned for Saturdays 5th September and 14th October. There is a wealth of historic buildings, twittens and cat-creeps to explore in the old town, and the volunteer guide will explain why celebrities of their day have, and still do, flock to Hastings. The walk will proceed gently downhill, but be careful, because there are a number of steps to manage too. The walk lasts about 2 hours and is provided free of charge, though the OHPS would be grateful for all donations given, many thanks; see their website.

It's worth wearing comfortable walking shoes, obviously, and the forecast suggests it will probably be dry and bright, but there may be showers before and after the walk, so do be suitably prepared! 

Enjoy the afternoon! 

Coastal Communities worst off?

A BBC report, by the Social Market Foundation, has found that coastal communities in Britain are "among the country's worst off for earnings, employment, health and education..." Indeed, they found that 85% of coastal local authorities have pay levels below the national average, and Hastings is named among the 10 local authorities in the country to have the highest unemployment rate; see website.

Not really surprising information, particularly noting how Government since 2010 has reduced investment in Hastings annually. Will we get anything helpful out of the Government's latest 'sticking plaster' - the Coastal Communities Fund, or is the Government going to continue reducing funds paid to Hastings? Don't hold your breath!

Southern Railway: Industrial Action Today Reminder!

As I said on Friday, here's another reminder that Southern Railway conductors (RMT union) are striking today, so don't be surprised by industrial action; see the Southern Railway website for advice if you do need to use their services today.

Busy busy busy Weekend!

The 2017 Hastings & St Leonards Coastal Currents Arts Festival (website) is now on for the month until the 1st of October. Because there is so much happening, I am providing links to the website, but for what's on today, 2nd September, go to here, and remember, many events are on for many days and/or weekends.

Meanwhile, the Pier nears the end of the school holiday season, and please remember that new opening times start from Monday the 4th (previous blog), but today, Saturday 2nd, from 5pm, is the Hastings Pier Jam Part 2: The Closing Party (website). Also, tomorrow (3rd), linked with the Arts Festival is the private launch of 'Wavelength' by Zeroh (website) in the Pavilion, sign up for an invitation on the website.

Enjoy the weekend!

Possible Harbour Development at Rock-a-Nore

I'm not sure how quickly the rumours got around, but no, it is not April the 1st, but Hastings Borough Council really has confirmed that it is considering the possibility of developing a harbour, housing and transport improvements in the Old Town. Council leader, Peter Chowney, has stated “We have been approached by Hastings Harbour Quarter Ltd., a company specially formed for the purpose... The scheme is at a very early stage, but it has potentially very significant benefits for the town, including a new marina providing moorings, boat storage facilities and support services; around 1000-1300 new homes; a protected launching and landing site for our fishing fleet; and transport improvements to the area..." 

Work going on today on the current Harbour Arm

"But these are very early days, and we will debate the principle of the work at our cabinet meeting on 11th September. That meeting will not commit the council to anything, other than to develop a strategic outline case for the development. This will cover many areas, including the initial business case; a marine assessment; transport and access planning; an assessment of the implications on public space; the SSSI and sustainability; initial 3D mapping; legal advice; financial modelling; and, of course, engagement with the local community."

The Plan

Indeed, the local community will need to be engaged properly, and listened to. Already, I have seen online comments about whether this is the best place for a new development, car parking issues, some of which still need to be sorted out concerning the old Ice House/Roebuck Surgery, Rock-a-Nore Road traffic issues, shouldn't any future benefits be shared across Hastings, not just placed on old town business plates? 

Anyway, it's interesting, indeed! If you have access to facebook, there is more written on this issue at the HBC page.

Oh yes, and I'm standing up for Amber Rudd too...

I presume most people who read this blog will have already received a letter from Arron Banks, as the chair of Leave.EU, a right-winger with much too much money, it appears... In the past he bankrolled the Ukip, then, and now, he bankrolled Leave.EU, in fact, he's the biggest ever political donor in Britain! Anyhow, not understanding what 'representative democracy' means, it appears, he's trying to talk us all into joining the local Conservative & Unionist Party so that we can de-select the Home Secretary before the next general election! 

Well, I may not agree with many of the policies our MP supports, indeed, I try not to be blatantly political in my blogs, but, surely, genuine members of the Conservative & Unionist Party, who have paid up their subs for years, chose her to represent the Tories at the last couple of elections, and the Hastings & Rye electorate chose her to represent the constituency at the last 2 general elections. Isn't it up to those people to decide whether she should win the seat again at the next general election, not some rich xenophobe who doesn't even live in the constituency? 

Also, the letter is full of errors, notably that "52% of the electorate" - "voted to leave the European Union" - Indeed, 51.89% of those who could be bothered to vote did vote to leave the European Union, and, remember, many people were disenfranchised for the referendum, but the actual percentage of the electorate who voted to leave the EU was 37.1%, and only 26.5% of the British population. 

The other error that stands out significantly is that we vote for MPs to represent the whole of the country, not just those people who voted for them; they are meant to work in the best interests of all, and, whatever our MP is doing, we must assume that she is doing it in the best interest of the whole country, as she sees it and believes is correct, whether we agree with her or not. So, the people of Hastings & Rye chose her as an MP, it should be up to the people of Hastings & Rye to either re-elect her or not at the next general election, not Arron Banks!

So much to say! Starting with...

OK, not such a surprise, but Penzance, once again failed to beat the Hastings record of 14,231 pirates in one place/on the beach (report), apparently by 77, never mind Kernow, you can always try again, and again, and again... 😉 

Photograph above of pirates drinking in a Hastings pub!

Hastings Lifeboats Launch

If you have a facebook account, you can see this video of the launch of both boats in the exercise earlier this week, and please 'like' their page too!

Southern Railway Strike today and on Monday

RMT union Conductors are walking out on strike again today, Friday 1st September, and on Monday 4th September, in their long dispute (I've written many blogs over the past year plus!) with Southern Railway/Govia Thameslink. For details of alternative travel arrangements organised by Southern, who believe most trains on their rearranged timetable will be running, can be found at their website.

Incidentally, there are similar strikes with Arriva Rail North and Merseyrail too.