A meeting called by Conservative councillors was held on Harrow Lane playing fields on Saturday to protest against controversial council plans to sell the site. About 50 people attended, including MP Sally-Ann Hart and Labour Cllr Andy Batsford, the housing lead, who defended the policy. Report by Nick Terdre, photos by Russell Jacobs.
Walk-in vaccination clinics will be held in Hastings town centre this week and a mobile testing unit is also operating in West St Leonards until Sunday as the health authorities deploy additional resources to combat the rising tide of infections. Report by Nick Terdre, photos by Russell Jacobs.
The Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra has organised a series of free classical music events entitled ‘Open Doors’ which has something for everyone. The orchestra’s survival through Covid and its ability to perform for free owes much to the generosity of its sponsors, Fairlight Arts Trust and Penn Elcom, with further funding from the Lottery and the approval of the Arts Council, writes Chris Cormack.
Hastings Literary Festival, founded in 2018 with Sir David Hare as patron, was just gaining momentum when it was called off last year due to Covid restrictions. Inevitably, due to restrictions, the Festival will be smaller and in fewer venues. However, the festival is back and raring to go. HOT’s Lauris Morgan-Griffiths was keen to know more about their planned activities.
The Hastings Philharmonic Choir are now breaking their long 19-month silence (their last concert was in December 2019). Rehearsals began in Autumn 2020 for a concert of top choral pieces from Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) and Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741), but the subsequent concert had to be postponed to this Sunday 18 July. It must be the best rehearsed of concerts in a long time and the choir found the Covid lockdown more bearable, languishing in this beautiful music, writes Chris Cormack.
Alexander Wilberforce argues the case for a covered botanical garden to commemorate Marianne North and provide a sheltered attraction for both tourists and locals.
A historic 1930s greenhouse brought back happy memories for nurseryman Ray Bates when he attended the plant fair at Great Dixter last weekend. Linda Foy from the Alexandra Park Greenhouse charity shares his story.
Due to Government funding during the initial stage of lockdown there was a great effort to get the homeless off the street and housed in hotels, hostels or whatever accommodation could be found. That funding, sadly, did not last a year. Now, however, with the realisation of the difference a secure place to live can make, voluntary organisation are working together to support the homeless. HOT’s Lauris Morgan-Griffiths was interested to find out how they and local councils are stepping up to help those who have fallen through the system.
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