Caution: Pirates in Town Again
By Anton Burton-Windsor
We’ve been a long time at sea, and the scourge still lurks amongst us – this year’s pirate shenanigans will not be like any other year, we must follow the Toerags’ map!…
The event will be spread over a weekend – from the evening of Friday 16th July through to Sunday 18th – with pirate fun for everyone in our town’s pubs, venues and attractions. There will be live music, side shows, pirate acts, parrots, storytelling, quizzes and treasure hunts… some fantastic prizes too, and other surprises along the way.
What there won’t be this year are any mass gatherings – no parades, human images, world record attempts or central stage. Some of our venues are small and may require booking: links will be available in our programme. There will also be online provision for those that don’t wish or are unable to attend.
We encourage everyone to enjoy the day in a safe and respectful manner. If you’re uncomfortable with people around, then why not enjoy our town’s wonderful open spaces, on the beach, parks or hills?… Take a picnic and refreshments, dress in your pirate garb, and enjoy the weekend in your pirate bubble (and dispose of your rubbish responsibly). Not all of our taverns can accommodate entertainments under the current restrictions, but many will be hoisting the colours and getting in the spirit: support them with your custom, please respect the current rules, and above all stay safe!
We hope our brethren enjoy dressing up and making more pirate memories in what the pirate capital of the world has to offer, and please donate generously to Captain Windsor’s maiden voyage (hopefully in 2022) when you can.
We may have to be cautious this year, but we will always be pirates!
The writer is official organiser of the event, styled the Hastings Pirate Gallivant. The full programme was still being compiled as we went to press, but will be available on the hastingspirateday.org website and via QR codes on posters around the town. Hastings Borough Council issued a statement last week that the events have been agreed “to comply with the Government’s step 3 COVID recovery roadmap, so that there will be no large gatherings of people in an uncontrolled environment”.
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