People of Hastings and St Leonards
Lara Alvarez and Alvaro Lois
This week Kathryn Sutter met Lara and Al, owners of Spanish-on-Sea, an accessible and friendly Spanish language school in Hastings Town Centre.
Lara and Al were, like many, drawn to the town following the pandemic, arriving in July 2021 after many years spent in London. ‘We had known the town for several years after coming with friends to the Beatwave festival,’ explained Lara. ‘After the pandemic, it just felt right to come here, we were ready for a change. I am from Madrid and had always lived in large cities so was not used to living in a smaller town. However, I think Hastings has quite a Spanish vibe, people look out for each other here.’
Both Lara and Al worked in Education in London. When moving to Hastings they realised that there wasn’t a dedicated Spanish Language School in the town. They quickly started a free Spanish Club in the Common Room, which was a big success. ‘Since the day we arrived in Hastings, everyone has been so friendly and kind to us, so we started the free club to give something back to the community,’ shared Al, who was born in London, but moved to Vigo in Galicia when he was three. ‘Over time we realised that running a school could be a good opportunity for us. We had never run a business before, so it was quite a risk’.
Spanish-on-Sea has only been running for a year but has grown to become a lively school offering lessons four days a week. It has just moved to new premises on Cambridge Road. ‘We offer something for everyone – from small kids to adults – and also teach GCSE and A Level Spanish,’ said Lara. ‘Our classes have a big focus on culture and colloquial Spanish so the things our students learn are useful when they go to Spanish speaking countries, we teach Spanish from the street,’ added Al.
The couple’s work has spread further into the community and in October they started a monthly Spanish film club at the Electric Palace Cinema to bring more Spanish Culture to the town. They are also keen to involve themselves actively in local affairs. ‘I volunteer at the Refugee Buddy Project teaching GCSE English, which I enjoy,’ shared Lara. Meanwhile Al said, ‘I had never attended a protest in my life, but attended the Southern Water protests last year – it was important to show my support for the issue.’
The couple has come a long way since they met 12 years ago and even decided to get married last year to complement their new life in Hastings. As with any new business they face challenges but feel that this town is the perfect place to be. ‘Everyone we have met so far has encouraged us, which has made us keep going, we hope we can continue to make our lives and the school a success’.
– Find out more by searching Spanish-on-Sea on Facebook and Instagram. Their next Spanish Film night at the Electric Palace will be on the 1st March. The school can be found at 7 Cambridge Road, TN34 1ST.
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