Bye Bye for now St Mary in the Castle...

I wrote earlier in the year (eg blog) that St Mary in the Castle would be closing at the end of October as the St Mary in the Castle Charitable Trust was not renewing the lease due to understandable reasons, namely, it could not raise enough money to cover costs, whether through grants, ticket sales or other means. Today they announced on facebook their sad goodbye after the final event held there last night.

Indeed, a sad loss to Hastings and its facilities, my fingers are crossed that a suitable cultural partner can be found to replace the Trust very soon, adieu... 😢

Information about St Mary in the Castle's history in this older blog.

Clocks have gone back this morning...

Indeed, at 02.00 this morning the time in Britain reverted to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT - website - and many thanks for the image above), that is, the clocks went back an hour. Now, this may be great for people who stay in bed until later in the day, for me it just meant I was awake earlier, sort of, because my body clock doesn't recognise changing time, and many will know that I am an early riser!

Why is there 'Summer Time' then? In many parts of the world altering clocks has been used to get the most out of hours of daylight supposedly, but why not just keep GMT then, if we adopt it for light purposes, surely in the summer more hours of useful daylight is completely unnecessary? It doesn't make sense in the modern world. However, it's not just in Britain that clocks go back and forth, no, in much of the Western Wold it does too, but there are many countries that don't follow this process, including Japan, India, China, countries near the Equator for obvious reasons, similarly at/or near the Poles, eg parts of Canada and Greenland, and Argentina.

So why is the 'Prime Meridian' line at Greenwich, and has been since 1884? This boils down to "that in the late 19th century, 72% of the world's commerce depended on sea-charts which used Greenwich as the Prime Meridian... (and) ...would be of advantage to the largest number of people" (website).

So there you have it, I trust that not too many people will be reading this as soon as I publish it, excepting 'early birds' like me, and maybe people living in different time zones. I also trust that 'night owls' will be enjoying the extra rest, and I'm sure they will not be reading this at time of publication, unless, etc etc... 

Let's just stick to GMT I suggest, I'm not so fond of this type of time travelling! 😉

Energy Bill Support Scheme Scams...

I detailed in this blog from September how the Energy Bill Support Scheme works (and thanks to Rod too, again!), and I predicted that scams would come with this scheme, hardly an amazing prediction. Well, yes, the consumers' rights organisation Which? has exposed a text scam that has arisen from this (website), and it's well worth the read, and there's a video to watch too...

Remember, energy support payments will be sent automatically, and already have been knocked off bills this month, so there's no need to claim...

Be careful folks! 👌

Hastings Park Run and O.W.E.N.S

Hastings Park Run was held this morning, as usual on a Saturday starting at 09.00 at West Marina Gardens, 2.5 Km along the seafront to just beyond Hastings Pier and back again. I took my photographs just as they were passing the Azur Pavilion the first time, looking down on the lower promenade; they return on the upper promenade. 262 runners took part, with 17 achieving personal bests, respect to them, young and not so young, and to all volunteers who help to make this a fun 5 Km run (website).

On my return to the town centre I ventured into O.W.E.N.S as it was open, and, apparently, at least for weekends and school holidays anyway, it is open from 09.00am to 11.00pm, so feel free to visit!

Alexandra Park Vandalism & Wildlife Crime!

Sad and angry to hear of youths in Alexandra Park killing parent ducks using catapults and leaving ducklings orphans (Make Alexandra Park Hastings safe facebook page), posts on that page share information, and the Police are now well aware, indeed, Bexhill & Hastings Wildlife Rescue had to be called to rescue ducklings rather than their being left to perish. Park Rangers don't appear to be capable of preventing these crimes, but if you do witness such crimes please report them the Police (website).

Stay safe folks!

Literature & Music in Hastings this Weekend

Obviously there is always something to do in Hastings, for example go to visit1066country, but this weekend there are a couple of festivals too, including the Hastings Storytelling Festival (website), and Sonics 2022 (website), a "3-day festival of ground-breaking experimental, electronic, and culture."

Whatever you do enjoy the weekend folks and stay safe! 👌

Hastings Bonfire, Pier, RNLI Stall & O.W.E.N.S

Apologies for the language, but this was the effigy destroyed yesterday evening, self-explanatory, and cheers to Rod for sending this photo to me - credit for this photo goes to @allybobble from twitter - many thanks to you, nice one! But no fireworks last night sadly, as the wind was too strong to enable their safe display, still, looking on the bright side, plenty of fireworks available for next year!

I had chatted to a few of HBBS members clearing up before wandering to the west and passing the very empty Hastings Pier, apparently not to open up for Christmas, sadly.

A wander through Bottle Alley to just below Warrior Square Gardens and on the lower promenade was, and is still I presume, a RNLI Lifeboat Stall. Had a good chat with the 2 volunteers, good luck to their endeavour!

Oh yes, and carrying on home, walking into Robertson Street, and O.W.E.N.S appears to be open, sort of, they're not great with the online explanations (website), but the notice (above) is in the window of what was Debenhams, and presumably shows the opening times until they open 'officially' on the 11th of November... Not sure if it meant yesterday or next Saturday, but be watchful in the town centre. Anyway, the website gives alternative opening times to the 12.00 noon opening times in the notice.

I have spoken to friends who have visited O.W.E.N.S, so go for it people!

Hastings Bonfire, Procession & Fireworks and more!

The bonfire set up on Pelham Beach earlier today (above). Roads will be closed to traffic near the seafront and in the old town between 6.00 and 11.00pm this evening, to allow for the Procession and Hastings Bonfire celebrations to go ahead safely (HBBS), the culmination of Hastings Week 2022 celebrations. The procession will congregate at White Rock and starts from that end of Robertson Street about 7.15pm, following the lighting of the beacon at 7.00pm up on the East Hill and the arrival of lit torches. The procession will proceed along Robertson Street and across the America Ground, turning right into Harold Place, then turning left and heading eastwards along the seafront to Rock-a-Nore Road in the old town, turning left and walking up All Saints Street to the top. Then crossing The Bourne to the High Street and back down to the seafront and turning right to the west and to the Pelham Beach car park for the bonfire and fireworks at 9pm, see the map below, and website for full details.

I wonder who the effigy will be of this year... Putin? 😏

As it still is Hastings Week (website), there are other things going on too this weekend. Today (Saturday) includes the 5th Hastings Vintage & Classic Motorcycle Show, from 10.00am to 2.30pm at The Stade, and the 69th National Town Criers Championship at Butlers Gap in George Street from 11.00am. Tomorrow (Sunday) sees the 13th Sprat & Winkle Run, which begins in Sevenoaks from 7.00am, driving through Kent and East Sussex before arriving in Hastings between 10.00am and 12.30pm, and finishes at 4.00pm. What is the Sprat & Winkle Run? It is a run organised by the Historic Commercial Vehicle Society (website), so expect to see about 70 vintage commercial vehicles at The Stade tomorrow...

The closing ceremony, that is The Reflection, will be held in St Clements Church, Swan Terrace from 4.00pm tomorrow (Sunday). 

Further details for the weekend can be seen at the website, enjoy, and stay safe!

It's Hastings Day!

Indeed, it is Hastings Day, today being the 956th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings (English Heritage), and, as usual, Hastings Week has been set up around this anniversary. For details of the Hastings Week events today, including walks, talks and Order of 1066 Award, go to the website. Yet more to come this weekend! 🎆

SWT Photo Competition & Hastings Week Continues

The 12 finalists for the Sussex Wildlife Trust's Photography Competition have been chosen, see above (and my blog), and they are now asking for people to vote for which photograph/photographer should win. If you'd like to take part in the vote go to the Trust's website, you have until 5.00pm on 31st October to vote, many thanks.

Also, Hastings Week 2022 (blog) continues, go to their website for details of events.

Cheers! 👌

Hastings Week 2022 has commenced!

Indeed, Hastings Week 2022 (8-16 October) has already began, and as most will be aware, it is always organised around Hastings Day (14th October), the date of the Battle of Hastings. The week kicked off this morning with the opening ceremony by Hastings Fishermen's Museum at 10.30am. Events can be seen at the website, including today and tomorrow the annual Jewellery Sale at Hastings RNLI Lifeboat Station (10.00am-3.00pm) and the Classic Car Show on the Stade opposite the Lifeboat Station (also 10.00am-3.00pm), plus there are many guided walks!

And there's a 'beer festival' on too, see blog!

Enjoy!

Hastings Tap Takeover 2022!

By Steve the Beermeister...

This weekend, Friday 7th to Sunday 9th, is the 2022 Hastings Tap Takeover (website), which, in effect, means that there is a beer festival, but at 15 different venues in Hastings & St Leonards, with each venue having its taps taken over by a different independent brewery!

I'll list the breweries below in alphabetical order, as the organisers have on their website, with the corresponding venue; opening times will vary so check with the venue as appropriate. Cheers!

Abyss (website) of Lewes will be at The Piper, 1 Norman Road TN37 6NH (facebook).

Arbor (website) of Bristol at The Tower, 251 London Road TN37 6NB (facebook).

Beak (website) of Lewes at Collected Fictions, Unit 1, 6-8 London Road TN37 6AE (Nicelocal).

Drop Project (website) of Mitcham at The Seadog, 32 Station Road TN34 1NJ (website).

Floc (website) of Canterbury at The Imperial, 119 Queens Road TN34 1RL (website).

Good Chemistry (website) of Bristol at The Jenny Lind, 69 High Street TN34 3EW (website).

Hand (website) of Worthing at The St Leonard, 16-18 London Road TN37 6AN (website).

Only With Love (website) of Uckfield at The Crown, 64-66 All Saints Street TN34 3BN (website).

Overtone (website) of Glasgow at Eel & Bear, 28 Waldegrave Street TN34 1SJ (website).

Pig & Porter (website) of Tunbridge Wells at the Albion, 33 George Street TN34 3EA (website).

Pohjala (website) of Estonia at The Jolly Fisherman, 3 E Beach Street TN34 3AR (website).

Revolutions (website) of Castleford at 1200 Postcards, 80 Queens Road TN34 1RL (facebook).

Sureshot (website) of Manchester at The Courtyard, White Rock TN34 1JA (website).

Track (website) of Manchester at Heist Market, 22-26 Norman Road TN37 6NH (website).

Verdant (website) of Penryn at The Marina Fountain, 26 Caves Road TN38 0BY (website).

Cheers!

Hastings Park Run, Azur Beach Huts, O.W.E.N.S

Out for a seafront walk this morning and the regular Saturday morning Park Run passed me by, in the photograph runners either coming up to 2.5km or just after 2.5km to the east of the Pier😉and virtually all the 251 runners went past, respect (website).

The Start and Finish ahead

Also, I noticed the migratory Azur Beach Huts have disappeared again...

... to their winter retreat between St Leonards and Bulverhythe!

Finally, they seem to be getting there-ish, but O.W.E.N.S still isn't open!