George Street Update

 

All the fuss (blog), and the arson attack on the building, and not to forget wasting the fire brigade's time, risking lives, and resources that are Hastings taxpayers' money, the CCTV unit is still there, but Oasis Developments Hastings Ltd has withdrawn its application to redevelop. Suspicious, or not?!? 

Pickled Quails' Eggs!

OK, the jar had already been relieved of a few eggs by the time I took this photograph, but I couldn't resist the pickled quails' eggs that were on sale yesterday from the bar of the Albion (website), and which I've written about before (eg blog), they're wee and they're very tasty! And many thanks to Claire for her generosity, cheers m'dear! 👍

It's not just a great place for ale, pies and pasties in Hastings Old Town... 

Just £5 for a tastefully packaged and well-packed jar, I'll be back!

Seafront Walk & Changing Face of Hastings

Before reaching the seafront I walked past Priory Meadow, noting that the car park is free to enter for now, although the hours of opening are now 07.00 to 19.00 (above). Presumably this is connected to the recent flood and ongoing work, still, free, eh?!?

Then, turning right onto the seafront after walking through Robertson Street and the America Ground, I wandered up to Hastings Pier, which remains closed, but the promise of its reopening very soon under new management (Sussex World). Indeed, the Pavilion to the front and west (above) is to become an Italian/Mediterranean Restaurant, and the central Deck Pavilion is to become a French Bistro and bar, with other food offerings from the huts, so, good news, and roll on!

Where the waste pipe from the drain opposite The Carlisle and Albert Road was damaged what seems like years ago, well, that appears to being worked on at last!

Hastings Jewel in the Crown, St Mary in the Castle (blog), and the restaurant, remain closed, with its own Shanty Town in front; be wary if you have small children or a dog as you go by, as detritus in the vicinity includes drug use throwaways. People either loved Jeremy Birch (R.I.P.) or didn't, but I tend to believe he would not have let this situation develop for what he called Hastings Jewel in the Crown if he had still been leader of the Council. However, there does appear to be expressions of interest being made to the Council including from a community consortium, so, fingers crossed...

Oh yes, and The Deluxe Bingo Hall closed at the weekend, although it appears that the amusement arcade is still functioning, at least the machines are still lit; I've heard their lease lasts for a while longer. And another Hastings seafront building that made an obvious cameo appearance in the film Byzantium (blog).

So, things do change, stay safe folks!

Early Jack in the Green Request.

I saw this request on the Jack in the Green facebook page, cut & pasted below:

𝗕𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀! 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗸𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗱𝘀! 𝗦𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀! 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘀! 𝗗𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀! 𝗚𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀! 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀! 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀! 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘀! 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀, 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗸 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀..!

Have you been a part of Hastings Jack in Green between 1983 and 2023? We would love to hear from you.

This year is the fortieth anniversary of Hastings Jack in the Green and we are running a special one-off project to gather stories, oral histories, memories, photographs, artworks, programmes, records of costumes and artefacts from the past forty years.

These will be put together in a free exhibition, commemorative publication, digital trail and archive, plus we will run a series of special free events, 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙁𝙪𝙣𝙙.

If you would be happy to talk to us, to share your stories and memories, or if you have old photographs/ costumes languishing in the loft, do please get in touch - email: lornacrabbe@gmail.com

Hastings Fat Tuesday Music Festival & Mardi Gras!

Tuesday the 21st of February is the day, Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday, whatever you want to call it, and Hastings again hosts the biggest Mardi Gras festival in Britain: 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, all free!

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;
Pumphouse, 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. 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, venues 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 2023 and the history of Mardi Gras in last Thursday's blog.