Today's Seafront Walk & Exercise, and Best Wishes for 2021!

I left home about 07.00 this morning, to get out for my daily exercise before it became too crowded, as it was yesterday, I was later informed by Judy at the Stade loos, as I was wishing her 'all the best' for 2021. I also saw Paul (Street Hygiene) working down towards the end of Rock-a-Nore Road, and wished him 'all the best' too!

Then I started my return to the West, passing RX134 the Stacey Marie (blog), and gave my best wishes to Johnny Swann at The Net Shop opposite.

I see at least 4 pubs in this photograph, sadly closed still, even at lunchtime, and at least 1 other building that used to be a pub, and the moon... 😢

No Ted's Planet Hastings Seasonal Sprouting competition (blog) at the Adventure Golf Course this year, sadly, no need to explain why the courses are closed... 😢 

The Sculpture on the Beach of a Norman lifeboat (which I like even more every time I see it!) has been sited here since it was part of the Route 1066 arts festival in the year of the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings (blog).

Bottle Alley, which co-starred in the film Byzantium (blog); the Bottle Alley Festive Light Show is every night until January the 4th, so you have a few nights left to see it, whilst taking your daily evening exercise, obviously! Shows are at 7.30 pm and 9.30 pm.

Warrior Square Gardens, the statue of Queen Victoria, honest, you can see it in the middle there, and Marine Court (blog) in the background. 

And Bulverhythe, where I turned around to return home, and which I discuss in my 'virtual' Hastings to Pevensey Bay Walk, along with other local landmarks and history, blog written earlier this year during the never ending COVID-19 Crisis.

A peaceful walk earlier, before the return journey anyway, and it only leaves me to wish you the very best for the year 2021, let's hope things improve very soon folks!

Be safe! 👍

Bird Blog VIII - Gulls!

Yet another 'bird blog' with a shorter title than that of the chapter in Gooders' book* (Waders, Skuas, Gulls, Terns and Auks) as I have only seen gulls from this chapter whilst on my walks during these troubled times and lockdowns, although I have seen Turnstones when walking along the seafront, pretty common there. For anyone reading one of my 'Bird Blogs' for the first time, they are based on birds I have seen whilst on my regular travels across Hastings Country Park, and along Barley Lane, since the first Covid-19 lockdown began way back in March. Gooders says that this "huge group... are members of the order Charadriiformes and are relatively closely related." 

The Herring Gull (above) needs no introduction, I presume, being as many thousands live in Hastings and close by, and many of us will have had a food item stolen by one, or certainly seen food items stolen from others by Herring Gulls. Indeed, they eat virtually anything. In addition, many of us will have also had the 'good luck' to have been hit by its excrement too, and not a few may have been attacked by them, for example, I had one literally jump on my back when I was painting the Stacey Marie (RX134) 4 or 5 years ago! Their aggressive behaviour is understandable as it tends to be associated with protecting their young, or looking for food. And, whether you love them, or loath them, and they are a bit of a 'Marmite' bird, they are a protected species, but breed prolifically locally, with nests on roofs, cliffs, just about anywhere.

I have spotted, more rarely, though they often appear later in the summer down at the seafront in greater numbers, the Great Black-backed Gull (above), and the Black-headed Gull. The Great Black-backed Gull is the largest gull in Britain, and when seen solitary among Herring Gulls, they do stand out size-wise, and not intimidated at all when outnumbered. They have a relatively more specific diet, preferring to eat smaller seabirds and offal, but in winter may travel inland and attack rubbish dumps. As far as I'm aware they do not nest locally, but further along the coast.

Black-headed Gulls (above), which I've seen more of at Bexhill over the years, are rarer in Hastings, although they are a reasonably regular visitor to Alexandra Park in later summer. The colour is actually more of a chocolate brown than a black head, and this is only in summer, disappearing during the winter when a dark spot behind the 'ear' is what most differentiates them. A much more particular diet for this gull, which eats fish, insects and invertebrates. They nest in reeds and rushes, which is probably why they're not seen in Hastings in the spring and early summer.

So, that's it for today and this 'chapter' of my bird observations. The ninth and final bird blog in this series will include a number of birds from other chapters of the book* and more, and called Bird Blogs: The Final Chapter, maybe... Please do watch out for it, and many thanks for reading these blogs.

The photograph of the Great Black-backed Gull is reproduced with many thanks to the RSPB, and of the Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull, with thanks to The Wildlife Trusts.

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide.

John Gooders used to live in East Sussex before he died 10 years ago, sadly, and had previously been Chair of Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.

Christmas Day Walk Photos & Another Bakers Shop!

Not much chatting for me today, but it was glorious yesterday, if a bit chilly, so I wandered out to St Leonards along the seafront, and Beachy Head waaay over there!

I turned around at Marina Court and headed to the Old Town and one of my favourite views down Rock-a-Nore Road, I nearly added a photograph of the Stacey Marie, but, despite repainting it very recently she's not among today's photographs. 

A lovely 'blue sky' image of the Lifeboat Station with the East Hill in the background.

OK, I own up that I'm a bit late, apparently it reopened as a baker's shop a few weeks ago, but the Old Customs House is now an outlet for Frankonia (website). I'm assured by my mate Frank that it's nothing to do with him, but he also assured me that there are good bakers shops in St Leonards too, but I only noticed the Customs House had become a bakers shop a couple of days ago, and didn't know about St Leonards bakers. Sorry, but I just don't eat much bread and patisseries, so can't really review bakers, but there's another one in the Old Town now! 😉

And on my way home I had to take a photograph looking up at the West Hill, with St Mary in the Castle and Pelham Crescent sitting below the ruins of Hastings Castle. 

Happy St Stephen's Day!

Seasons Greetings!

OK, my image may be a bit too much 'upbeat' but no! Let's hope we all do have a good season, despite the times we now live in, and enjoy ourselves as much as we can. Also, we must try to remember others, especially with the restrictions we now live within, and try to watch out for each other in these troubled times. 

Also, I must give thanks to all those who have helped us to survive this awful year, too many to mention individually, but including all the keyworkers, the drivers and carers, those working in the emergency services, the police, fire fighters, ambulance staff and paramedics, the NHS, doctors, nurses, other health professionals and ancillary staff, the crews and volunteers of the RNLI lifeboat service, and this year not forgetting the scientists who helped develop the vaccines to rid us of the cause of the years distress.

Before I forget, refuse and recycling collections over the next couple of weeks are, as usual, normally the day after your usual day, for example, for me as I get my collections on Tuesday, over the next 2 weeks I will get mine on Wednesdays, but check at the website to make sure. No leaflets have been sent out this year to save money.

Finally, I do wish to share my best wishes with you, and peace and goodwill to all, whatever one's beliefs, let's work together now to sort our lives out folks.

And remember, be careful!

It may be lonely this Christmas...

Every year Christmas and the days around it, and New Year, see an increase in loneliness, but this year, with the COVID-19 Crisis and the associated ever worsening legal restrictions on making contact with others, loneliness is very likely to become a major concern. But remember, and thankfully, the Samaritans provide a 24 hour service and can be called free on 116 123 and locally can be called on 0330 094 5717 (local call charges apply) or visited, opening hours can be found at the website.

Whatever, here's hoping things aren't so bad for most, if not all. Peace, best wishes and goodwill to all my readers and everyone living in Hastings and beyond!

TIER FOUR! And some reassurance...

What can I say, yesterday we woke up to Tier 3, today TIER FOUR!?! I was going to entitle this "Waking up to Panic Measures" and thanks to the ineptitude of, failure of policies this year, and panic from, the Government we're waking up to Tier 4... 

On Wednesday the Prime Minister at Prime Minister's Question Time said, when asked by the Leader of the Opposition if there was medical/scientific evidence to continue with the proposed 5 day Christmas COVID-19 Holiday, that the Leader of the Opposition wanted to "cancel Christmas..." and it would be "frankly, inhuman..." to do this. Well, the 'inhuman' Prime Minister has now cancelled Christmas!

There appears to be extra panic erupting in the media, a likely response to an overreaction by the Government in the way it made its announcement, maybe. This new mutation of COVID-19 appears to be blamed for the rapid increase in the rate of infection in London and the South East, but, and I'll explain it shortly, I have been reassured by a virologist speaking on the Naked Scientist programme on Radio 5-Live this morning, shortly after 06.00, that my immediate reaction was correct.

First, the speed of transmission can only be the result of human behaviour, so, if we continue to go through the sensible actions most of us have been practicing since March, then that continues to protect us. It is the interactions between people, and poor hygiene (notably not washing hands regularly and sanitizing surfaces outside the safety of sanitized homes, not wearing masks etc) that helps the spread of the virus.

Second, all viruses mutate, and the scientific community has been closely following the progress of this coronavirus for nearly a year now, indeed, there is no evidence to support wild announcements about this mutation. For example, vaccines should still be effective, but if tweaks are required, they will be made very simply. Please be reassured, there really is no need to panic! But do still be very careful...

I am cutting from the BBC website, & pasting to below, what it now means to be in Tier 4, it is virtually the same as lockdown, except children can still go to school (dear me, will they never learn?) and places of worship can stay open for community services:

Meeting friends and family

• You should stay at home except for specific reasons including education, work (if it can't be done from home), exercise, medical needs, food and other essential shopping and to provide care.
• You should not mix socially indoors, or in a private garden, with anyone who is not part of your household or support bubble.
• Support bubbles can be formed between one household and another which contains only one adult - with some exceptions.
• You can meet one other person at a time from another household in an outdoors public place (such as a park, a street, countryside, an allotment or a children's playground).
• Children can continue to move between homes if their parents are separated.

Going to Work

• You should work at home if possible.
• If you have to return to your workplace, your employer must make arrangements for you to work safely.

Schools & Nurseries

• Primary and secondary schools can open, as can nurseries and childcare.
• If a school has coronavirus cases, local health protection teams will advise what to do.
• All pupils and staff in secondary schools (Year 7 and above) must wear face coverings in communal areas outside the classroom.

Leisure Time

• Pubs, restaurants, bars and cafes are closed, except for takeaways.
• There is no limit on the time allowed for exercise outdoors or, for example, for sitting on a park bench or eating and drinking outside.
• Indoor leisure facilities such as gyms and swimming pools are closed.
• Outdoor sports courts, outdoor gyms, golf courses, outdoor swimming pools, archery/driving/shooting ranges, riding centres and playgrounds can remain open for individual exercise.
• Organised outdoor sport for under-18s and disabled people can continue.
• Entertainment venues including theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums and galleries, are all closed.
• Hotels, hostels, guest houses and campsites are closed except in certain circumstances (such as where they are someone's main residence, or where it is essential to stay there for work purposes).

Shopping

• All non-essential shops must close.
• Close contact services, such as hairdressing or beauty salons must close.

Other 

• You are not allowed to stay overnight away from your home, whether on holiday, in a second home or caravan, or with anyone you do not live with, or are in a support bubble with.
• You are not allowed to travel outside your tier four area.
• You are not allowed to travel abroad, unless for exceptional reasons.
• Places of worship remain open for communal services.

Merry Christmas! 😢

Waking up to Tier 3

So, Hastings has entered Tier 3 and to being one of the worst areas in the country regarding its incidence of COVID-19, from being the safest area in England and Wales a little over a month ago (blog), how did that happen, and so quickly?!?

I must praise them for the quality of the article, and give thanks to Hastings Online Times for the above image (HOT), and for statistics new to my blogs. As I said recently, Darrell Gale, the Director of Public Health for East Sussex, reported that the "number of people with new cases of Covid has doubled in the Hastings area" (blog). Indeed, the rate in Hastings is now the equivalent of 370 per 100,000 (the average rate for England is 172/100,000) having risen from 31 per 100,000 just weeks ago!

Not wishing to blame anyone, which is in no way my intention here, but the statistics we are usually confronted with give no indication of who is being effected by the virus most, or in which areas it is worse. So it is interesting to be provided with such figures, and to find that the West St Leonards and Hollington areas have the most cases locally, whilst the West Hill and Old Town have the fewest. 

Also, Gale suggests a 'mixed bag' regarding the age groups most effected, with many cases "in 10-19 year olds that are connected to school outbreaks, and the majority of those cases in that age group are males... But then, in the other age bands it's the 30-59 year olds with females being (of a) far higher prevalence than males in Hastings."

Whatever the prevalence, though, the figures show that no-one is safe, indeed, people from all age groups, male and female, have contracted the virus. Therefore we need to remember to continue safe practices, the vaccine isn't anywhere near widely available enough for us to rest yet, certainly we are nowhere near 'herd immunity' either.

So, look after yourselves, wash your hands regularly, maintain social distancing of at least 2 metres, and continue to wear face coverings where appropriate, be safe 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!

Fairlight Sand Quarries

The relatively recent history of the 2 Fairlight quarries, and their inclusion in Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve, goes back to just 1939 and the outbreak of World War II, as silica sand, an important purer sand for industrial use, had been previously imported from Belgium, which is still a major player supplying industrial silica sand around the world, but it was then hampered by the invasion of the Nazis.

A new company, Fairlight Mining Company, had been set up in 1939, as the sand here was found to be a suitable replacement for what we were missing from Belgium, and the then owner, Major Alfred Carlisle Sayer, leased them the land the 2 quarries would be dug from. The larger quarry (recent image above) is the first you reach when walking from Hastings and along Barley Lane and its pathway extension, just after passing Little Warren Cottage and up to your left. The smaller quarry (recent image below) is to the north east and close to Fairlight Church and had become the larger car park there, and now with a path leading to the new Country Park Visitors Centre, not yet open, but close to completion.

The quarries were in use into the 1950s, being worked for nearly 15 years, and were sold together with other land and property, including Fairlight Place Farm, to Hastings Borough Council in the 1960s (National Archives). Major Sayer had previously sold and donated other land in the area to the Council, and much of this land is now included in Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve, which was originally formed in 1974 (website).

Whilst the smaller quarry provides a more 'functional' use, the larger quarry has been left to return to nature and, indeed, birdsong I heard within the quarry in the early weeks of the first COVID-19 crisis lockdown was part of my inspiration to re-find my love of birds, and my subsequent Bird Blogs (YouTube); please excuse my heavy breathing, which tends to be the result of me walking far and/or concentrating! 😉

So, this part of history was definitely the result of war, who'd have thought?!?

Nicer News & Weekend Update

Nicer news? Well, the iconic De La Warr Pavilion (blog) reopens today, a fitting celebration of its 85th anniversary, and will be open until the 3rd of January, all being well. Then it will be closed until the 16th of January 2021 for essential maintenance; for more information about what's on and other details, please go to their website.

I found this image on the Courthouse Cooperative Hastings facebook page, which only goes to prove that some of us are trying to make the best of a bad job, and are actively promoting shopping locally too (blog), indeed, very worthwhile...

However, having trouble parking in the old town this weekend? Well, that could be partly due to much of the Rock-a-Nore car park being closed off for repair, consequently, if wishing to park nearby and what remains of that car park is full, you can either park up Harold Road and walk down, or use the Pelham Beach car park, but...

The west end of the Pelham Beach car park has been closed the last few days, and you guessed it, if you haven't already visited, it's not looking like this (empty, above), but has numerous people testing for COVID-19... Sorry, but I had to say something about the COVID-19 Crisis and I had been so positive in this blog, but it's not anywhere near as good in Hastings as it was when I wrote this blog just a month ago, sadly.

Darrell Gale, Director of Public Health for East Sussex, reports that the "number of people with new cases of Covid has doubled in the Hastings area" and is rising sharply in Rother too. The figures look worryingly like we may be heading towards Tier 3, despite the many months of being sensible in Hastings and its environs, and it appears that teenagers of secondary school age are now the super spreaders, the incidence being highest in that section of society locally, and regionally.

If you do want to be tested for COVID-19, you need to pay for it to be done privately, unless you either have a high temperature, have a new continuous cough, have lost your sense of smell or taste, been asked to get a test by the council or to confirm a positive test, or are taking part in a Government Pilot Project (not here as far as I'm aware), then you can get a free test. Go to the Government website for more details or to book a test, which leads you to a link where you may book a test, for example in the Pelham Beach car park...

Look after yourselves folks, remember to wash your hands regularly, maintain social distancing of 2 metres whenever possible, and wear face coverings were appropriate.

Please be careful!

Fishing, Hastings and the European Union

The fishing fleet that works from the Stade in Hastings is one of the oldest fishing fleets in the country, the largest beach-launched fishing fleet in Europe, and also famous for its unique and 'listed' tall black huts that were originally used to dry nets, and now used for storage. But what of Britain and its fishing relationship with other European countries, was being part of the Common Fisheries Policy of the European Union (EU) the first time Britain entered into agreements with other countries? 

Well, unsurprisingly, no it wasn't, indeed Britain came to an agreement called the North Sea Fisheries Convention as long ago as 1888, an agreement with Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany and the Netherlands, that allowed each country to fish in each other's waters to within 3 miles of respective coastlines. 

However, Britain wasn't happy with this agreement many years later and withdrew in 1963, subsequently instigating the 1964 London Fisheries Convention, signed by the same countries, plus a few others, which allowed each country to fish within each other's waters between 6 and 12 miles from respective coastlines. I wrote about this convention and when Britain submitted its 2 years notice to leave in this blog from 2017.

Since then, of course, Britain joined the EEC in 1973, subsequently becoming the EU, and the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which seeks to ensure environmental, economic and social sustainability that fosters a dynamic fishing industry and ensuring a fair standard of living for fishing communities (European Parliament website). It also allows each country to fish between 12 and 200 miles from each other's coasts. 

By 2009 the EU sought to reform the CFP, following a wide-ranging public debate on the way fisheries were managed. A new Common Fisheries Policy came into effect from the 1st of January 2014, and which included policies that particularly effected Hastings fishing industry (European Union website), that is, firstly, to bring in sensible steps to prevent already caught fish having to be discarded. 

Secondly, to bring in quotas to prevent over-fishing and ensure sustainability of fishing stock. This has been very contentious in Hastings, indeed, for the smaller fishing boats and local sustainability, and part of the reason why Greenpeace came to Town in 2015 (blog). It also contributed to anti-EU feeling and Ukip inspired protests like the above demonstration in 2018 (blog).

However, as explained in my Greenpeace blog, and the point was made at that meeting by Paul Joy (NUTFA) too, the job to divide quotas, indeed, to fight within Europe to exclude Under Ten Metre Fishing Boats from quotas, as they had previously been (before 2015), was the British Government and Defra's responsibility, not the EU's. Indeed, the new Common Fisheries Policy (website) states that "Small scale vessel owners would need to receive the right quota mix from national administrations."

So what did Defra do? Well, they gave only 4% of the allocated fishing quotas (blog) to the smaller, and more sustainable, fishing fleets, which make up 80% of British fishing boats... Consequently, this allowed for 96% of quotas to go to larger fishing boats/businesses, and, surprise surprise, over half of Britain's fishing quota has been sold off to foreign fishing boats, although this had been happening already (BBC), for example, 55% of the annual value of catches in 2019!

So, what will British fishing fleets, including the Hastings fishing fleet, gain in coming years? Well, the ability to fish 3 nautical miles from other country's coasts allowed between 1888 and 1963 is no more. The ability to fish 12 miles from other coastlines allowed from 1964 has disappeared already as we left the London Fisheries Convention very recently. Now we will not have agreement to fish between 12 and 200 miles from other coasts either, oops, but as I explained in my blog, neither will EU fishing boats have rights to fish in British waters. We may need to reach agreements...

Oh yes, and approximately 90% of Hastings' catch is sold to Europe...

Plus Defra will still be in control of whatever quotas British governments allocate over the years, experience reminds us that for years they've favoured the 'Big Boys' 😬

Waking Up To Tier 2

You thought your home was your castle, well that is not the reality now, it WAS your castle, or it may have been, but no more! We in Hastings, from living in the safest place in England and Wales just weeks ago (blog), are now living in a Tier 2 Regime (BBC). And it is a regime, where you can no longer chose who to have sex with even, not to mention closing down community hubs, as in pubs, and not even Hitler managed that!

It is time to be very careful of the COVID-19 virus, no doubt, but our hopes, wishes and liberty are being eroded. Look after yourselves folks, be careful out there, be safe!

Our MP Bottles It!

The photograph above was taken this morning, a lovely bright day, but, no brightness on the Covid front, as our MP, who recently confirmed her opposition to Hastings going into Tier 2 tomorrow (blog), did not vote against it (Sussex Live), despite 3 of her Sussex Tory MP colleagues doing so, including Bexhill & Battle MP, Huw Merriman...

Incidence of COVID-19 in Hastings

I've just checked on the up to date Government figures regarding the incidence of and number of deaths related to COVID-19 since March in the UK (population 66,650,000), and in Hastings (population 92,855). I apologize if this appears morbid, but I am a retired NHS professional, and I do believe it's good to be aware. Anyway...

Today, the total number of COVID-19 cases there have been in the UK is recorded as 1,629,657, and deaths 58,448; in Hastings 681 and 14 respectively (BBC).

To my maths: as a percentage, the incidence nationally has been 2.445% of the total population and in Hastings 0.733%, that is, the number of people in the UK overall that have contracted COVID-19 as a percentage is well over 3 times that in Hastings.

So far so good for Hastings folk, and regarding the mortality rate this is an even larger difference, people in the UK overall are well over 5 times as likely to die having contracted COVID-19, the percentages being 0.088% and 0.015% respectively.

It certainly is good, and healthy, to live in Hastings, so why are we in Tier 2? 

Whatever, carry on being careful folks, look after yourselves. 👍 

Hastings Lifeboat, Volunteer Vacancy, Isabel Blackman & More News

I was out earlier today, enjoying my exercise walking along the seafront, and took this 'moody' misty pier photograph (above), still closed of course, and mulling over what I should write about today. Well, I've been thinking for days now of updating regarding the COVID-19 Crisis, Lockdown and Tier 2, but I wanted to see what else the Government is offering the 100-odd Conservative MPs who are suggesting they may rebel tomorrow unless the Government provides evidence of why areas in Tier 1 before the second lockdown are rationally being placed in Tier 2 from Wednesday, and what other help the Government may provide to the Hospitality Sector, which appears to be the only sector not being allowed to reopen, unless they meet the 'substantial meal' proviso. Indeed, even Santa's Grottoes are being allowed and carol singing is to be allowed! What does the Cabinet/Scientists have against the Pub Trade in particular, which before the lockdown had worked hard to successfully implement the 'COVID-19 Safe Surroundings' requested by the Government's rules (Campaign for Pubs)? Anyway...

So, giving the COVID-19 Crisis a miss for the moment (I carry on about it a wee bit a wee bit further down!), I'll move on to Hastings Lifeboat, their television appearance, and an important volunteer vacancy that has been announced. First, we should all be aware of the lifeboat's involvement in Storm Ciara earlier in the year (BBC), but were you aware that this incident was included in the BBC television programme Saving Lives at Sea last week? Go to the BBC website to catch up on iPlayer if you missed it.

With regard to the vacancy, the Volunteer Fundraising Group Leader for Hastings RNLI is being sought, and with many thanks to Sue who has held this position for many years now... This rewarding role includes raising awareness and to create ways of raising funds for the RNLI  and our local lifeboat (website).

Other news includes the scaffolding that has been at the end of George Street for eons (a wee exaggeration) has now been removed, as Councillor Bacon assured us it would be recently on his twitter feed, following the building being 'made safe.' You will appreciate that this photograph wasn't taken today, but yesterday. 😎 

Even better news, the Isabel Blackman Centre in Winding Street has been saved from extinction, having been bought by a consortium of community groups following a long campaign that helped to gain the required funding, as reported by Emma Harwood in Hastings Online Times; go to their website for the excellent full report.

Oh yes... Happy St Andrew's Day! 

Sadly True

Leader/Editor Comment:

Finally! The COVID-19 Crisis, and a few relevant updates I thought I should share from other media sources, as you will be aware if a regular reader of mine, I am not exactly complementary about the Government's handling of this crisis (for example this blog), nor its incompetent, perhaps corrupt, waste of £ billions of taxpayers money and, notably, Hastings going from the safest local area, with the lowest incidence of COVID-19 in England and Wales, to being designated in Tier 2 two weeks later (blog). However, these links provide some relevant further reading, make up your own minds:

The R Rate is now below 1 (BBC), a fact which is supported by the highly respected Imperial College React-1 Study, of over 100,000 people this month, that estimated the R Rate to have fallen to 0.88 (BBC), whilst the nationwide incidence of COVID-19 has fallen by 30% since Lockdown Two began in early November! 

Oh yes! And just how reliable are the stats regarding infection rates? Another report highlights that during the 19th and 23rd of November, 1311 people were noted as testing 'positive' but the test results were actually void (BBC), and that figure, and who knows how many other errors, has obviously been included in deciding what Tiers local areas should go into. Complete and utter ineptitude...

Hopefully I can provide more positive news soon, but whatever, please remember to carry on being careful folks, wear face coverings where appropriate, maintain social distancing of 2 metres, and wash your hands regularly. Be safe! 

If you've got down to here I am impressed 😉 Look after yourselves!

Speedy Response from Hastings MP!

Hastings & St Leonards* (Simon Holland)

I have received a speedy reply (quality!) to my letter (previous blog) from our Member of Parliament Sally-Ann Hart, via her caseworker, which appears to show she is on board regarding Hastings, our local Hospitality Sector, and Tier 2. She was obviously well prepared for how her constituents may feel about this issue; see below: 

“I am deeply disappointed by the decision to put Hastings and Rother, along with the whole of East Sussex, into Tier 2.

 

Over the last weeks and months, I have seen how our local communities have pulled together in these trying times and kept infections rates low, and sometimes the lowest in the country.

 

Although I am pleased that the new tiering system means all retail, gyms, places of worship and leisure facilities can open, it leaves many parts of our hospitality sector closed and in peril.

 

We entered the recent national restrictions on Tier 1, with low infections, and we are now being told that following a month of tough restrictions the situation has got worse. I understand the criteria that has been used, but rates in East Sussex are now decreasing and therefore I will be looking for evidence to support us going into Tier 2.

 

Early next week the Government will be publishing the economic impact assessments of the decisions they have made, and this will then be followed on Tuesday with a vote in Parliament on this new system.

 

With infection rates falling, and our economy suffering, it is my view that East Sussex should have been placed in Tier 1, and that the evidence for the situation we now find ourselves in is not clear.

 

I will of course analysis the economic impact assessments next week, but I fear, at the busiest time of year for many businesses in our hospitality sector, not being able to open could be disastrous. My support for the Government’s new tiering system is not certain at this stage.”

We'll see how this goes, but I'm not optimistic... 

The photograph* above is reproduced with many thanks to Simon Holland Photography (facebook page), a wonderful view of Hastings & St Leonards, cheers!

From Safest Town in the Country to Tier 2 in 2 Weeks!

I just don't believe it, from living in the safest town in England and Wales (blog) to living under Tier 2 COVID-19 restrictions next week! What has the second lockdown done to Hastings in just a couple of weeks?!? I really do fear for our Hospitality Sector, and fear that Hastings may become a Ghost Town by the return of the tourists next year. Anyway, I felt I should write to our MP requesting she stand up for the town and her constituents, basically, do her job!  

My letter is reproduced below, if you want to write to her go this website.

I shall let you know how she replies, anyway, my letter:

Dear Sally-Ann Hart,

COVID-19 Latest Tier Restrictions

I brought myself to write to you because I am very concerned that the people of Hastings are being treated unfairly by Her Majesty's Government, and as our Member of Parliament, I would be very grateful if you would help defend this wonderful historic town, and its inhabitants.

Before the COVID-19 crisis descended upon us even, we have been treated unfairly, with the Central Government Revenue Support Grant awarded to Hastings being reduced from £14 million in 2010/11 to nothing nothing since April 2019. Indeed, the Government's 'The Indices of Deprivation 2019' stated that Hastings was the 13th most deprived area in England, from among the 317 local council areas in the country, and the most deprived local council area in the South East!

The unemployment rate locally was higher than the national average at the start of the COVID-19 'lockdown' from March, and is only rising, sadly, due to the restrictions deemed necessary to halt the rise of that virus. However, the local economy is highly dependent on tourism, and the hospitality sector was hit significantly by its closure. As you'll be aware, the hospitality sector in Hastings prospers, and ensures employment, during the warmer months of the year, but 'lockdown' and the loss of holiday periods such as Easter, and numerous festivals that bring visitors, consequently money, into the town, including Hastings Week, the Seafood & Wine Festival, the Herring Festival, and May Day and 'Jack in the Green' have all been lost to businesses in the local Hospitality Sector.

When the 'lockdown' ended early in July, with Hastings one of the safest places to live in the country with respect to COVID-19, the local Hospitality Sector looked at the latest rules regarding COVID-19, dusted itself down, and brought in vigorous supervision of customers, spending much money on ensuring 'mitigations' such as reducing the numbers that could enter premises by losing/moving furniture, taking details of customers for tracking and tracing, providing hand sanitizer, staff safety wear and serving at table, regular cleaning of their premises and toilets, sanitizing tables between customers, the list could go on, but they adhered to Government advice. Indeed, only a few didn't, and were suitably closed for periods by Police and the local authority to help them get their act together.

Since July, Hastings, in Tier 1, has continued to maintain a much lower than average number of cases of COVID-19, indeed, at the beginning of the second 'lockdown' we had the lowest incidence of COVID-19 in England and Wales, being 31.3 cases per 100,000 (2nd November).

How is it that, after a couple of weeks of 'lockdown' the Government has decided to move Hastings from Tier 1, when it became the safest place to live in England and Wales, into Tier 2 from next week? Surely this means the Government's strategy isn't working, when, during 'lockdown' the position got worse apparently? Yet Government figures appear to be suggesting the rise in infection rates has leveled off with signs of falling numbers.

When this comes before Parliament next week, I trust you will stand up for Hastings and your constituents, and defend our Hospitality Sector so that, and hopefully we shall see the Summer of 2021 be something close to normal for tourism, there are still some businesses remaining open to benefit, please let's not allow Hastings to become a 'Ghost Town.'

I look forward to receiving your support for Hastings in Parliament, and your comments, many thanks,

Yours sincerely,

Christmas Tree & Decorations: But isn't this still November?!?

I first noticed that Christmas lights had gone up when I was out for my daily exercise (walking) early-ish on Tuesday morning, and since then, on Thursday, 5 Christmas Trees were erected around the Borough of Hastings, including this one (above) in the town centre. The early advent of Advent (officially begins a week from today) this year, and around the country, appears to have been stimulated by a campaign started in Nottingham to 'boost' mental health (BBC), a very worthy proposition indeed. 👍

It would be churlish of me to not support this campaign, particularly as I'm a retired RMN, but am I the only person wondering why, with lockdown lasting until the 2nd of December at the earliest, consequently, no-one out and about during the night, and most of the evening for that matter, lights are lit for hours and not being appreciated by the good folk of Hastings? Seems like a waste of energy and money to me... 😔

But let's trust things will improve asap, be careful folks and please watch out for each other: wash your hands regularly still, wear face coverings where appropriate, maintain social distancing, and respect each other always, and Best Wishes to all. 💓 

Together, we can beat COVID-19, roll on the 3rd of December, and fingers crossed! 

Pigeons, Woodpeckers and Allies - Birds Part 7

Another blog with a shorter title than that of the chapter in Gooders' book* as, quite frankly, all I have seen of the birds mentioned in this chapter on my walks during these troubled times and the 2 lockdowns, are pigeons, doves and woodpeckers... For anyone reading my Bird Blogs for the first time, they are based on birds I have seen on my regular travels across Hastings Country Park, and along Barley Lane, since the first Covid-19 lockdown began way back in March. Gooders says that this group is a “rag-bag of species, convenient in that they are the "only perching birds that do not belong to the order Passeriforms." So now you know...

Great Spotted Woodpecker

For my first couple of sightings I refer to the woodpeckers, and, usually heard rather than seen, the Great Spotted Woodpecker, the most common and most widespread woodpecker in Britain. I have heard woodpeckers drumming and drilling away all over the place, notably when walking in the higher parts of Alexandra Park, but early on in my cross Hastings Country Park walks during this crisis I not only heard them, but saw one, I heard it first and was lucky enough to spot it whilst walking long Barley Lane just after Fishponds View, thank you very much! They eat mostly insects and larvae, but during the Autumn and Winter months they switch their diet to include berries and nuts, and they may be seen in gardens pecking at peanut feeders.

I have seen many more Green Woodpeckers than the more common Great Spotted variety during my life, well noticed them anyway, indeed my first ever was as a young lad out with a mate, duffle bag over my shoulder, and flask of tea and some goodies in the bag for sustenance, saw the Green Woodpecker and followed it for quite a way until it flew over a small stream, without thinking I threw my bag over to the other side and leapt over myself; well, thermos flasks in those days had very fragile glass linings and I wasn't forgiven by my mum for ages, and no more tea to drink either that day! Similarly, their main diet is insects, and they can often be seen searching for food on the ground, ants forming a significant part of their diet, indeed, the one I saw, again quite early during the lockdown, was on the ground along a track off Barley Lane.

Collared Dove

The ubiquitous and largest pigeon in the country, is the Woodpigeon, and the most commonly seen pigeon during my walks across Hastings Country Park too, with an almost husky 'coo.' It eats seeds, leaves, grain, fruit, peas and root crops, consequently, it can become a pest to farmers. It's amazing that pigeons appear to know where to live, for example, up on the Country Park the Woodpigeon is virtually the only pigeon/dove you will see, whereas the feral town pigeons (mostly descended from rock doves/domesticated pigeons, although you may spot a hint of white dove or even collared dove interbreeding here and there), well, those town pigeons stay in town!

But back to the edge of town, and smaller than the Woodpigeon, I have spotted Collared Doves close to the Hastings end of Barley Lane during my travels. A relative newcomer to Britain, which was first recorded nesting in Norfolk in 1955 having spread westwards from Asia, but it has since spread throughout this country (and across to America too), and now is quite common in Britain. Again, it 'coos' but in a more gentle manner, almost begging you to listen, and eats seeds and grain from the ground.

Sorry folks, I haven't seen an owl for ages, consequently, not in my chapter! But the photograph above is of a wee painting I was given as a present over 35 years ago.

So, that's it for today and this 'chapter' of my bird observations... The next chapter of the book* is called Waders, Skuas, Gulls, Terns and Auks, but my Birds Part VIII blog will likely just be called Gulls, you'll understand! 😉 Please do watch out for it, I'll try not to leave it for so long this time, and many thanks for reading these blogs.

The photograph of the Great Spotted Woodpecker is reproduced with many thanks to Mark Hamblin, and of the Collared Dove with thanks to Gillian Day, and thanks to The Wildlife Trusts for both.

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide.

John Gooders used to live in East Sussex before he died 10 years ago, sadly, and had previously been Chair of Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.