And the winner is …
By Rod Webb
Brenda Hall is a sprightly 90-year-old living in a self-contained granny flat in St Leonards. She can often be seen out shopping or walking her dog, Bobby – though she’s not keen on all the hills, which she says are “very tiring”. Brenda has the Times newspaper delivered every day, but she’s also a Friend of Hastings Independent, which she reads every fortnight.
Although she supports the newspaper with her monthly subscription, she was only faintly aware of the monthly prize draw and was surprised to get an email saying she’d won a dinner for two (with a bottle of wine) at the Little Fusion Kitchen at the Jenny Lind in Hastings Old Town.
Brenda has her own iPad but doesn’t use it very much; these days it’s her daughter, Fiona, who checks her email. So when Fiona, found the email from HIP and explained about the dinner for two, she wasn’t just surprised, but also rather pleased.
“It’s nice to go to the Old Town from time to time,” she explained. “I used to go much more, but not for a couple of years. When you’re not feeling so good it can be too much effort.” So now she had an excuse to go. Fiona booked an early table for two on Sunday – something to do on a January afternoon. Brenda was particularly pleased that she was able to take her dog, Bobby as she doesn’t like leaving him alone.
On arrival the back room of the Jenny Lind was “Lovely and cosy” with an open fire near the table. “The manager* was so kind and helpful,” Brenda remembers. “He was very nice.”
After an enjoyable meal of slow cooked Korean beef “but it was much too filling” and having managed half the bottle of wine between them, Fiona and Brenda went off to do a bit of shopping. The new jewellery shop, Roccabella, was the first to catch her eye – which she described as “really lovely”. There she chose a silver pendant for Fiona to buy for her next birthday. Then on to Made in Hastings where she bought Fiona a moon chart – and then decided she wanted one herself. And finally to Hendy’s where she bought a scouring brush for the washing up.
All in all, a good Sunday afternoon out.
*Simon Kennedy is the assistant manager; the manager Sarah Brown was on leave.
• To become a Friend of Hastings Independent subscribe here www.hastingsindependentpress.co.uk/become-a-friend
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