RNLI Lifeboat Volunteer Life To Be Celebrated...

The life of local resident, and 25 years a Hastings RNLI Lifeboat volunteer, John Scollay, will be remembered at a special celebration at the Lifeboat Station on The Stade this Friday 1st March from 12.30, all welcome. Beforehand, Winkle Club members will be assembling on Winkle Island at noon (John was a long-standing and active member of the Winkle Club), when his coffin will pass on its way to the Lifeboat Station; there will be a family service at the Crematorium afterwards.

John Scollay R.I.P.

Pier Owner Fined Regarding HMRC Dispute

The owner of Hastings Pier (still closed!), (not a real Sheikh) Abid Gulzar, was fined in Hastings Magistrates Court yesterday for failing to comply with HMRC tax regulations regarding staff PAYE at his Eastbourne hotels (Eastbourne Herald); not the first time he has had a brush with HMRC and the Law (eg Eastbourne Herald). This, following his ally, (not a real Lord) Brett McLean intimating that he had been let off because HMRC had made a mistake...

Since originally writing this I have found out more about the sums involved (BBC). Gulzar was fined £8,000 for failing to pay HMRC "almost £62,000" and, in addition, his two companies, Mansion Lions Hotel Ltd and Albany Lions Hotel Ltd, "were fined £4,000 each for failing to pay £40,000 and £22,000 respectively for Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and National Insurance contributions."

"Speaking after the case, Richard Wilkinson, assistant director of HMRC's fraud investigation service, said: 'HMRC made numerous attempts to engage with Gulzar, who was trading illegally as he failed to pay the security bonds and then tried to thwart the prosecution.' "

Worrying times for anyone applying for jobs, whenever the Pier reopens!

Another Beer Fest, this one in Battle...

By Steve the Beermeister (again!).

There appears to be much mentioning of beer festivals on this blog lately, but then, don't they come along in couples, if not bunches... Anyway, this weekend, Friday 1st to Saturday 2nd March (it really is March already), 11am to 7pm both days, look to a short trip to Battle Brewery (website) for the latest 'mini' Beer Fest or "Birthday Bash" at The Calf House, Beech Farm, North Trade Road, Battle TN33 0HN. Obviously, you will be able to try their own beers, but beers from other Sussex brewers too, including The Three Legs Brewing Company it appears, and ciders as well. Not to mention, food, live music, pub games and a quiz night on Friday. 

Enjoy yourselves there, cheers!

At the Tower Beer Fest 2019

By Steve the Beermeister:

I recently wrote a blog about the ale and cider festival being held this weekend at The Tower in London Road TN37 6NB, and yesterday I put in a couple of hours at the festival bar following a rather pleasant walk up through Alexandra Park (blog), looking back down to where I had been walking in the photograph above, oh, and I shall be posting a few more images soon of the Park...

Sorry about the quality of these last 2 indoors photographs, but above is the pub's bar which had 6 of the stronger ales available, out of 18 being served at any one time, plus 7 real ciders and a perry. I only drank 1 of these yesterday, though have enjoyed before the excellent pale dry hoppy bitterness of Burning Sky Brewery Aurora (5.6%) and the wonderfully full rich dark Gun Brewery Whisky Imperial Stout (7.4%). Yesterday I tried the Cwrw Ial The Apache Line, a 5% pale bitter, with a huge fruity aroma, mango and citrus in the flavour too, not so bitter and dry, but very easy to drink!

And from the bar which I worked as a volunteer on for a couple of hours, the less strong ales were served, plus the excellent stew, which I enjoyed too. I'll start with the weakest of those I tasted, the 3.9% Salopian Push, and I have to admit I was disappointed, as I'm usually impressed by Salopian's ales, though for many others it appeared their favourite, which is why drinking ales is so much fun, nearly an infinite number of possible recipes and nearly something for everyone! Push was/is a quite dry bitter ale with hints of fruit and sweet to taste at first, though not quite enough for me, though regular readers will appreciate that I am, and have been called, a "hop monster" in the past, so not enough hops for me, certainly not as many as I had expected...

I think I may have had the pleasure before, but I then tucked into Great Heck Proverbs (4.5%), with 2 excellent hops, Citra and Mosaic, used in the brew, which provided a lovely fruity and citrus aroma and taste, and lovely dry bitter finish.  Sticking with the Mosaic hop I enjoyed drinking the single hopped Downlands Mosaic (4.8% and does what it says on the label). This is a vegan friendly beer, which usually means a wee bit hazy, as no finings used, and produces a very BIG aroma, fruitiness bursting up into the nostrils! At first taste I caught a slight sourness to it, but this disappeared as I drank more of this pale golden ale with a lovely dry bitter finish.

The final 2 ales I tried were Redcastle Tower IPA (4.8%), a new (Scottish) brewery for me, and apparently using a mix of hops from Britain and the USA; this had a slightly fruity and caramel aroma, with malted biscuit in the taste and a nice dry bitter finish, enjoyable. The other was Long Man Special Tower APA Brew (4.8%), which I'm guessing was a dry hopped cask of their usual APA, with Willamette and Cascade hops, hint of citrus fruitiness, and very dry bitter finish.

My favourite of the day? Close, but the Downlands Mosaic, cheers!

The Tower Real Ale & Cider Festival this weekend.

By Steve the Beermeister...

Just a reminder that The Tower pub's second annual Real Ale & Cider Festival is being held this weekend, starting at 11.00 this morning (Friday 22nd)! If you hadn't already read last week about it, feel free to refer to my blog, which lists ales that will be available over the next 3 days, although not quite all on at once, but pretty much 20 ales on at a time, so enjoy yourselves, and cheers! 

HBC: Another Phone Scam Warning.

Hastings Borough Council have issued a warning about a criminal/s telephoning residents and offering refunds, requesting bank details etc: 

"Residents are being contacted by someone claiming to be from Hastings Council. They are offering refunds and asking for bank account details.

Hastings Council will never ask for bank details over the telephone. Please share this message and advise your family members so that they are not taken in by these people."

What a Waste!

Another gorgeous day, Hastings old town and centre heaving, and Hastings Pier remains closed (allegedly to reopen in March, already missed the earlier stated 'it'll be open for St Valentine's Day' - obviously not!). What a waste, "businessman," what business? You're having a laugh Gulzar, HLF and administrators!

So much great music in Hastings, and free!

Liane Carroll

I missed my friend Rod's birthday celebrations at the Dolphin Inn Saturday evening, sadly, because there was yet another example of seeing quality free live music in Hastings, namely Liane Carroll, Roger Carey, and John Newan (usually Russell Field plays with them, but I presume he was playing elsewhere, maybe on tour)! To see the world renowned Liane Carroll for nothing isn't that rare in Hastings, but isn't it great?!? Anyway, here's a link to something of her's that is very Hastings!

Happy Birthday Rod!! 😃

The Tower's Second Real Ale Festival Next Weekend.

By Steve the Beermeister.

The Tower, up on the corner of London Road and Tower Road, Bohemia TN37 6NB, and following its successful first Real Ale & Cider Festival last year (blog), is next week holding its second real ale festival from Friday the 22nd to Sunday the 24th of February 2019, 11am to 11pm Friday and Saturday, 11am to 10pm Sunday; oh yes, and real ciders too! There will also be good value, and great tasting, food served on Friday and Saturday, from Cafe 67 of Bohemia Road (facebook), including at least one meal containing an ale from the festival, and one containing a cider. Plus a raffle on Saturday and a Meat Raffle (vegetarians please look away) on Sunday...

Excellent ales on when I recently visited!

Ales for the Festival (with tastings notes), and may be a few extras:

Gun Brewery Whisky Imperial Stout 7.4% Dark English pale and roasted malts give a rich, full body to this strong ale;

3 Legs Brewery Oatmeal Stout "7ish%" Dark Special brew;

Cromarty Ghost Town 5.8% Dark Classic dark roasted malty porter with blackcurrant & liquorice;

Burning Sky Aurora 5.6% Pale Premium strength pale ale with juicy malt backbone and big citrus and tropical hop flavours;

Goose Eye Pommies Revenge 5.2% Gold Extra strong single malt bitter;

Cwrw Lal Apache 5% Light Big mango fruit aromas with a smooth bitterness. Hoppy awesomeness;

Downlands Mosaic 4.8% Light Single hopped APA. Festival of tropical and citrussy notes;

Redcastle Tower I.P.A. 4.8% Amber Combination of British and American hops. Fruity aroma with a hint of toffee on the palate;

Long Man Special Tower APA Brew 4.8% Light DDD dry hopped;

Iron Pier Cast Iron Stout 4.7% Dark Dark chocolate and coffee notes with a smooth bitter finish;

Wild Beer Co Millionaire 4.7% Dark Salted caramel stout;

Purple Moose Dark Side Of The Moose 4.6% Porter Bramley crossed hops making a delicious dark ale with a dry biscuit flavour;

Long Man Old Reserve Special Tower Brew 4.5% Dark A twist on Old Man with cherry and blackcurrant;

Old Dairy No Bull 4.5% Dark Milk Stout with chocolate and coffee;

Great Heck Proverbs 4.5% Golden Citra and mosaic hopped golden ale;

Thornbridge Rocky Road 4.5% Porter Ice cream porter;

Great Heck Swanky 4% Light;

Holler Boys Honest Burger 4% Pale Limited edition oaty hoppy pale;

Salopian Push 3.9% Golden Pineapple aromas and tropical fruit cascade over floral and grassy hops;

Dancing Duck Ayup 3.9% Pale Session pale ale, subtle malt and floral notes, dry finish;

Ilkley Joshua Jane 3.7% Brown Rich nut brown Yorkshire ale;

Dark Star Pekko 3.8% Light Tropical fruit with herbal notes;

Franklins Cigar Sour 3% Amber sour beer brewed with a smoked malts, based on a German Licteheiner.

As you can see, many local ales included, plus a vast range of styles, enjoy!

Another Lovely Fisherman's Roll!

This morning I enjoyed yet another excellent, good value and healthy too, Fisherman's Roll, with 2 plaice fillets in a wholemeal roll (they do white rolls/baps as well), at Johnny Swan's Net Shop in Rock-a-Nore Road, cheers Charlotte!

Fisherman's Roll

International Piano Concerto Competition is back!

An early sign that the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition is back again for 2019 is the few days when the public gets the opportunity to play a concert standard piano in Priory Meadow (website), until Saturday 16th February. The competition itself begins next Thursday the 21st, until the final is completed on Saturday 2nd March 2019, at the White Rock Theatre (details at their website).

Always something happening in Hastings! 😉

Normans Bay Return, on foot...

I had a wee walk along the seafront to Normans Bay, accompanied by my brother Dan, and back, and, surprise surprise (not), Hastings Pier was closed...

Just past the Azur Pavilion and we spotted some of the regular 5km Park Run (blog), a fun run carried out around the country, our 'park' just happens to be the seafront. If you would like to know more about this healthy event, which really does cater for all levels of fitness, go to their website.

There was a very strong wind from the west (Storm Eric), though not quite as bad as up north, but still gusts of over 40mph, and the first to finish was Mark Coates (in red), congratulations to him, with the first woman to finish being Abianne Coates, I'm guessing related, whatever, congratulations to her, and to all of those who took part!

When we arrived at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill (website), this wonderful 1930s building where art deco meets the modern, we had to stop for our 'institutional' cup of coffee and sit on the balcony enjoying the view and the coffee, thank you very much!

Then we carried on along to Normans Bay, now appearing ahead of us (above).

The great 'metropolis' that is Normans Bay

After eating one of our sandwiches each, lovingly created by me before we left, we stopped at the, also 1930s and once owned by the De La Warrs, Cooden Beach Hotel.

Then walking into this part of the complex, that is, a bar, and brought outside with us to enjoy, a well deserved pint each of Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter, cheers!

When we returned to Hastings it was just getting dark, but we felt we also deserved another couple of pints each at The Jolly Fisherman (blog), the micropub at East Beach Street, before heading home for dinner, and did enjoy an excellent couple of ales each, and saw a few friends too, cheers again, a good day was had!

Congratulations to Alan Turing!

Congratulations to Alan Turing (R.I.P.), Enigma Code hero of World War II and much more, for being selected as the "greatest person of the 20th century" in the final of the BBC Icons series (inews). Turing (1912-1954) was born in London, but spent the majority of his schooldays living in Upper Maze Hill, St Leonards. A well deserved posthumous award to this incredibly intelligent man, also important in the development of the computer, and who suffered in a time of greater prejudice and intolerance.

For more information about this famous mathematician see biography.

The America Ground

I noticed the image above on the Hastings and Area, Past and Present facebook page today, which is the anniversary of a great storm (4th February 1287) that not only helped to alter the coastline of South East England with many coastal towns, like Rye, becoming landlocked, but also damaged the West Hill cliff with much of Hastings Castle falling into the sea. But, of course, earlier storms that century had also helped to create, what was to become, The America Ground in Hastings, and I noticed that, despite referring to The America Ground quite a few times, I have never written about why it is called "The America Ground" or its history, so here goes, briefly...

The great storms of the 13th century deposited a vast bank of shingle to the west of Hastings Harbour, beginning the end to the harbour in central Hastings (over which the Castle had towered), this area became new land which people quickly moved on to, living and working there. By the 1820s The America Ground was inhabited by over 1,000 people, rent, tax and rates free as no-one owned the land. Hastings Council tried to tax the residents living there, who subsequently rebelled, raising the flag of the USA and declaring the area an American State! However, this wasn't tolerated for long by the authorities and, in December 1827, the Crown claimed legal ownership (1066 online).

The America Ground is now covered by the triangle that is Robertson Street, Trinity Street and Claremont, and towards the sea, including Robertson Passage. Every year now, July the 4th is celebrated here, so watch out for special events coming up in July, including Independents Day, and enjoy the revolutionary spirit!

Jerwood Foundation to leave Hastings?

So, very probably not too upsetting for many people who live and work in the Rock-a-Nore area, but there appears to be a rift between the Jerwood Foundation and the local management of the Jerwood Gallery in Rock-a-Nore Road (Guardian). Following the Foundation providing grants of £2.6 million since 2012 (now you know how it kept on keeping on!), the Gallery now looks set to lose that funding (currently £300,000 a year) plus 300 works of art by artists such as Lowry, Hepworth and Spencer (the gallery must have a large cellar!). Gallery management is threatening the Foundation with legal action, whilst also trying to gain a larger grant from the Arts Council than the £100,000 a year it has received since 2017. Hmmm, a new name for the Gallery?!?

Watch this space...

Primark store, yes, it really will be opening in Hastings!

OK, I wrote about this in a blog a year ago, when it was suggested Primark would be open last summer, that is, 6 months ago, but it is now planned to open on Ash Wednesday, 6th March 2019, at least that's what it says in their windows...