Black Friday 'Celebration'

Okay, it's 'Black Friday' but I have nothing to sell, let alone cheaply, so my 'bargain' is reporting on a beer that was my 'one for the road' last night, drank at The Jolly Fisherman, 3 East Beach Street, Hastings TN34 3AR (see my first blog about this atmospheric wee pub).

Brewed by Bristol brewery Left Handed Giant (website), this was their Celebration Blender, a 12.0% Imperial Stout, a blend of Imperial Stouts aged for 12-18 months in bourbon, maple syrup and rye wooden barrels. This was a very luxurious, smooth dark beer that smelt sweet from the maple syrup, and sweet to taste too, a bit of a dark pudding of a beer, as I said, luxurious!

Definitely a beer to end the night with, cheers, now go chase those bargains! 😁

Congratulations to The Dolphin Inn!

Congratulations to The Dolphin Inn, 11-12 Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings TN34 3DW, which, on Monday, was awarded this certificate as CAMRA South East Sussex Branch Community Pub of the Year 2024, nice one folks, good to see CAMRA waking up locally, cheers!

£15 MILLION Wasted on Northeye! So Far...

Yes, why am I not surprised?!? £15 million was wasted by the previous Government's paranoia, with the Home Office last year buying the former prison site at Northeye in its desperation to find places to encamp migrants, and it hasn't been used since because the old prison is asbestos contaminated (BBC)! The number of times I've walked past this old prison when out enjoying the beauty of local countryside, and wondering what could be done with it, not a lot apparently!

Driving in Hastings Ain't Easy!

The town centre itself has seen numerous roads blocked, notably Queens Road (eg blog), including utility companies blocking the road, Police too, work on the traffice lights by Marks & Spencer, and trucks, including trucks with multiple trailers, backing out of Cornwallis Street into Queens Road because they thought they'd found an easy route through, notably to the building of the hotel (blog) on the other side of St Andrews Square, in that end of Cornwallis Street!

Of course there are roadworks all around Hastings too, including in St Margarets Road (above), and I don't have a car at present, but friends have regularly shared their nightmare travels around Hastings! Whatever check up before travelling (Hastings Online), and stay safe folks!

Hastings Old Town Cider Festival 2024

Following the success of the inaugural 2023 festival (blog), the second annual Hastings Old Town Cider Festival 08-16 November 2024 begins today in 7 old town venues! This includes the 4 from last year, The Albion, 33 George Street TN34 3EA, The Crown, 64-66 All Saints Street TN34 3BN, The Jenny Lind, 69 High Street TN34 3EW, and The Jolly Fisherman, 3 East Beach Street TN34 3AR; the 3 new venues joining this year are East Hastings Sea Angling Association and Social Club, The Stade TN34 3FJ, The First In Last Out, 14-15 High Street TN34 3EY, and The Dolphin Inn, 11-12 Rock-a-Nore Road TN34 3DW.

This exciting second year of the festival, first added to Hastings' many events last year, has been arranged by the licensees themselves and promises an even larger sample of ciders and perries, still and fizzy, and from near and far, and you have a week in which to sample the many delights on offer, plus their other drinks, enjoy the week folks, and cheers! 🍻

East Sussex funding gap consultations

UK local authorities face a collective funding gap of £2.3bn for the 2025-26 financial year. East Sussex County Council is facing a funding gap of £55 million. As local authorities have a legal responsibility to set a balanced budget, this means making some difficult decisions. The County Council will still have a net revenue budget of £538.1 million next year, but every department will need to find savings to close the gap. Consultations on some of the savings proposals for Adult Social Care and Health have already started and more proposals for all departments will be considered by Cabinet in November. The consultations started on 3 October and will close on 28 November 2024. Decisions are expected to be made about all of these proposals by councillors in February 2025. Take part in the consultations here to have your say on the proposals.