Clocks Spring/Sprung Forward!

Did you remember to change your clocks before you went to bed last night? If not, your mobile phones and computers may well show you are now up at 06.54 instead of 05.54 as we lost an hour between 01.00 and 02.00 this morning. Indeed, we 'time travelled' overnight as time moved forward, and in Britain we are no longer on Greenwich Mean Time (website)!

Some Still Closed BUT Some Opening...

Good to see the Bottle of Hastings premises has been taken over (and the same website address!) by another Wine Bar (and coffee) Shop, Hastings Wine & Coffee, 91-92 Queens Road TN34 1RL (website). I shall write more after a visit, plus about buying wine in Hastings, including Penbuckles, which shall also be coming into another blog soon!

Interesting that apparently unsellable building's frontages are being decorated, for example Debenhams (above) and the St Mary in the Castle Restaurant. I recently mentioned that Peacocks closed down 5 years ago (blog), but all that's happened since was immediate redecoration, some other work was done (?), and the doorway was boarded up when a couple of tents set up residence there; I do understand why it was boarded up, and it has happened elsewhere, but is this really the way to sort out housing problems, just push them away?

Hastings Half Marathon ran by some anyway!

Well, many runners decided to run the Hastings Half Marathon 2025 anyway, despite it being cancelled (blog). I only found out when I looked at the Hastings Photographers facebook page, and discovered the many photographs posted there!

These first 2 photographs from Hastings Photographers were taken by Marie Richardson.

I presume many runners decided to complete the half marathon as they had trained for the event so went through with it anyway, and others ran because they had already raised money for charities. Apparently, some ran the actual full course, though likely not in the road for some parts, and others made up the distance running along the seafront.

The third and fourth photographs, again from Hastings Photographers, were taken by Brian Bailey. Many thanks to Marie and Brian, and great respect to all those who ran the 2025 Hastings Half Marathon! I wish I'd known...

5 Years On!

5 years ago today I did my best to be positive, and got out early in the morning, and it was very quiet indeed, because it was the first day of the first Covid Lockdown (blog). Plenty has happened since then, and Covid is still with us, but in a much less threatening way, and I'm keeping up with the vaccinations, which seem to have helped. Keeping up my positivity, I actually made myself healthier over the following months, pubs being closed helped with that, but also my virtually daily morning walks, mostly across Hastings Countryside Park, helped enormously, and quite wonderful weather that year facilitated too.

Coincidentally, Peacocks in Queens Road had it's last day on the Saturday (blog), as if having had a premonition, but much more to do with the arrival of Primark to Hastings. Oh yes, and for a different reason, the 2020 Hastings Half Marathon had been cancelled too (blog), a virus and explosive chemicals 5 years apart, hmmm... make hay whilst the sun shines folks!

Half Marathon Cancelled, and Roadworks Extended.

Sadly, the Hastings Half Marathon 2025 has been cancelled (facebook). Apparently the man who is in custody is being held under the Mental Health Act.

And the roadworks at the seafront have been extended by another week, life, eh...

St Leonards Incident, Police Update.

The incident concerning the 'Bomb Disposal Squad' at the seafront in the St Leonards area near West Marina Gardens (blog) continues into the weekend. The Police confirm a 28 year old man is in custody and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team are "conducting a thorough search of the property for any further hazardous material." Also, that "the chemicals are not part of any large scale drugs production and the incident is not believed to be terror-related." (Sussex Police) 73 temporarily displaced neighbours are being provided shelter at the Royal Victoria Hotel (blog), arranged by Hastings Borough Council, and Police are mindful of trying to sort this out before the Hastings Half Marathon tomorrow/Sunday (blog). The seafront and road remain blocked, consequently today's/Saturday's Park Run has been cancelled (website).

Bomb Disposal Squad at St Leonards!

Sorry I'm a bit late with this news (I live in the centre of town) so was unaware, but the image above of the Bomb Disposal Squad at the seafront in St Leonards, west of Marine Court, is quite new and from Sussex World, many thanks to them, and there's video there too. I originally saw about this on the Hastings Police facebook page, which is providing updates gradually. Apparently a man in his 20s is in police custody, and this is not regarded as a terrorist event. Rumoured to be more to do with illicit alcohol/drugs maybe, as it's "suspected chemicals" in the building, either that or it's a big boy's chemistry set...

The 41st Hastings Half Marathon on Sunday.

Start/Finish

Organised by Hastings Lions Club to raise money for various charities, indeed, much is raised every year, the 41st Hastings Half Marathon starts in Sea Road by West Marina Gardens this Sunday 23rd March 2025 at 10.30 am (website). 

Route Map

Spectators are welcome all around the route, so please feel free to find a spot and to cheer on the runners as they pass, indeed the conditions look pretty favourable (Met Office forecast). From me, best wishes and good luck to all competitors, and respect!

Kelp Recovery: 4 Years Update from SWT.

I have written about this subject before, eg blog, but have just received an email from the Sussex Wildlife Trust reminding me of the "UK’s largest marine rewilding initiative, Sussex Kelp Recovery Project (SKRP), marking the four-year anniversary of the project and the introduction of the Sussex Nearshore Trawling Byelaw. The milestone comes as SKRP researchers report encouraging signs of recovery, including increased marine life [Black Sea Bream in image above, from the website] and changes to life on the seabed along the Sussex coastline." For further information about this welcome update go to the Sussex Wildlife Trust's website. Good news!

Jobs and Apprentices Fair in Bexhill Tomorrow.

There will be a Jobs & Apprentices Fair on Friday the 21st of March 2025 from 10.30am to 3.30pm at the iconic De La Warr Pavilion (blog) in Bexhill (website). You can turn up on the day, but they recommend registering at the website in advance. They will be catering for people looking for a first or new job, people returning to work, and people wanting to learn new skills. Please note there will be a quiet time between 2.00 and 3.30pm for d/Deaf, disabled and neurodiverse visitors. Further information at the website. Happy job hunting folks!

The fence is up!

And the road has been closed west of Iceland overnight recently for a new road surface, fewer pot holes now obviously, and people are still blaming HBC not ESCC!

Apologies, plus there you are!

Well, the fence has been added today, no apologies there, but apologies for saying music would be played in the Dolphin on St Patrick's Day, it was posted on numerous sites, but didn't happen, and I'm sorry if anyone read it here and turned up at the pub, damn!

Continuing Roadworks Along Seafront

Well, we know that roadworks along the seafront are going on for a while still, but replacing the wee wall is taking a bit longer than just the 3 days oginally planned (blog), I suspect someone at East Sussex Highways was unaware that the wall and island separating the road along East Parade was at different heights either side! Apparently, waiting to erect a fence now!

St Patrick's Day Music in Hastings!

Happy St Patrick's Day! Live Irish Music on at:

Hastings Fat Tuesday Tour 4th March 2025

Tomorrow evening, Tuesday the 4th of March is the day, Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday, whatever you want to call it, and Hastings hosts the biggest Mardi Gras festival in Britain: For the Fat Tuesday Tour 24 acts will be playing at 3 venues each from the following 12, from the Carlisle in the west/town centre to the Dolphin Inn in the east/old town, and all free, but don't forget to drink!😉

Albion, 33 George Street TN34 3EA;

Hastings and St Leonards Angling Association, Marine Parade TN34 3AG;

Carlisle, 24 Pelham Street TN34 1PE;

Dolphin Inn, 11-12 Rock-a-Nore Road TN34 3DW;

Dragon Bar, 71 George Street TN34 3EE;

First In Last Out, 14-15 High Street TN34 3EY;

Jenny Lind Inn, 69 High Street TN34 3EW;

London Trader, 4-7 East Beach Street TN34 3AR;

Lord Nelson, 1 East Bourne Street TN34 3DP;

Porters Wine Bar, 56 High Street TN34 3EN;

Pump House, 64 George Street TN34 3EE;

Royal Standard, East Beach Street TN34 3DW.

Each of the 24 acts will play 20 minutes sets in 3 of the venues, and each venue will have 6 acts, from 8.00 pm until 11.00/11.30 pm; please go to the Hastings Fat Tuesday website for greater detail for each act and each venue. In addition, from 8.00 pm until 1.00 am, opposite the Lifeboat Station at East Hastings Sea Angling Association, The Stade TN34 3FJ, will be the Reggae Room.

If you want to play it by ear, just walk around the Old Town and don't be surprised by the quality of free live music available, have fun and party. However, I recommend people consider their favourite venues and what they sell drinks-wise, consider who they'd like to see, then decide on getting to one venue early, and stay there, it will be busy!

For full details of all events (there is more!) go to the website.

If you haven't already read it, I wrote more about Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras and the history of Mardi Gras in last Thursday's blog.  

Enjoy free live music and party folks!