Archives for News - Page 7
Attack on Freedom of Speech
GABRIEL CARLYLE Why did I risk arrest and a possible jail sentence by joining the demonstration in Parliament square earlier this month? Instead of fulfilling its legal obligations under the…
Hastings Gaza Protesters Arrested
KENT BARKER A childminder has been arrested for alleged criminal damage with a rock after writing in chalk on the road during a protest, while a St Leonards man is…
Hastings Woman Arrested at Protest for Writing in Chalk
Grace Lally arrested at General Dynamics for chalking on road A Hastings woman has been arrested for alleged criminal damage after writing in chalk on the ground during a protest.…
Thousands petition Parliament over Conquest Cardiac Closure
More than 6,000 Hastings residents have petitioned parliament in a bid to prevent cardiac facilities being transferred from the Conquest Hospital to Eastbourne. As reported in the Hastings Independent in…
Lifeboat Responds to Mayday Call
Hastings RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew towed a sailor safely into harbour after responding to his Mayday call last Thursday evening (26 June). Kevin BoormanHastings all weather lifeboat Richard and Caroline Colton on…
Affordable Home Construction Behind Bexhill Road
Work has started to erect 16 affordable homes for Hastings Borough Council on waste ground to the rear of 419-447 Bexhill Road. Builders Boutique Modern, based in Newhaven, are using…
‘Protestival’ Planned for Old Bathing Pool
Residents of West St Leonards are expecting a range of community groups from across Hastings to join them on the former bathing pool site at West Marina on Sunday 13…
Disability Data
In the week of the Parliamentary vote concerning the government’s proposals for changes to disability benefits, the TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) has released figures showing respective numbers of working age recipients…
Hospital Wait Times
NHS England has been set a target by Health Secretary Wes Streeting of ensuring that 92% of patients referred for a first hospital appointment are seen within 18 weeks –…
WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND?
Letter Eighth Century Genocide Dear HIP Winston Churchill said that history is written by the victors. Although that is true, later historians are able to remove that bias and present…
Can’t Run On Empty
Youth Commons Pleads for More Revenue Fundingto Avoid Closure HUGH SULLIVAN In January 2023 Hastings Commons was awarded £ million of public and charitable funds for investment in youth infrastructure…
Pulling Up The Bridge
HUGH SULLIVAN The Parchment Trust has provided services in the community for disabled adults of Hastings for the past 30 years. As well as running the very productive horticultural nursery,…
Ask a Busy Man: Boorman to Chair Neighbourhoods Plan Board
Retired senior manager at Hastings Borough Council Kevin Boorman has been chosen by its members, in consultation with local MP Helena Dollimore, to chair the board responsible for delivering up…
Bringing the Bling: A New Identity for Hastings’ Mayor
BECCA HORN When you picture a Mayor, what comes to mind? Until recently, I wouldn’t have imagined myself in the role – but some roles you grow into once you’ve…
Go-Ahead for New Rough Sleepers Home
Hastings Borough Council has approved plans to convert a run-down house in Gresham Way, St Leonards into a nine-bedroom house of multiple occupation (HMO) to provide accommodation for rough sleepers.…
MP Calls on Billionaire to Fund Local Charity
Labour MP Helena Dollimore has written to Lubov Chernukhin, co-director of the company behind the Owens entertainment centre which went bankrupt last year owing over £5 million, urging her to…
Funding Boost for Local Schools
The Government’s spending review delivered some good news for hard-pressed families across Hastings with the announcement of an expansion of the free school meals and free breakfast clubs programmes. The…
Council Reform: Do People Just Not Care?
PAUL MCLAUGHLIN The public consultations on the proposed changes to local government in Hastings and East Sussex are now underway, but so far there is little enthusiasm for what is…
Local Government Reorganisation Engagement Events
Hastings Borough Council has organised some sessions for residents to find out more about the planned local government reorganisation, and the three options for Hastings. The council is encouraging people…
False Claims Spark Outrage and Fear
PAUL MCLAUGHLIN A number of inflammatory posters appeared last weekend outside 67 Sedlescombe Road South in St Leonards, sparking a wave of controversy on social media. The notices, which included…
Local Schools Face Major Staffing Crisis
Schools in Hastings and St Leonards are facing a major staffing crisis as new figures reveal exceptionally high teacher turnover rates in the town. Data from the Department for Education…
Hastings Stands Up To Racism
PAUL MCLAUGHLIN The Hastings Stand Up To Racism campaign organised a public meeting to challenge what they regard as new measures by the government to scapegoat migrant workers. Simon Hester,…
New Water Outage Across Ore
PAUL MCLAUGHLIN Some 300 households have been affected by new water outages across Ore. Local residents have been reporting erratic water supply and low pressure since mid-April, with many households…
Qui Vive: The Model for a Designer Hotel
In October 2020, interior designer turned property developer Sean Cochrane obtained planning permission from Hastings Borough Council to develop 44 Havelock Road for short term residential accommodation. The seven-storey building…
Academy Chain Shortlist
The Department for Education has drawn up a shortlist of six academy chains being considered to take over the running of local schools formerly run by UBAT, the University of Brighton…
WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND?
Letter Hastings Pier: When will it be finished? Dear HIP I moved to Hastings from Cromer in 2016; I liked the Old Town; fishing boats and it had a pier.…
Calls for Public Inquiry into Ongoing Road Fiasco
PAUL MCLAUGHLIN Helena Dollimore and Cllr Godfrey Daniel have called for a public inquiry into the prolonged delays and disruption surrounding the A21 Gateway project. The key route, intended to…
Uproar Over Vive Closure
Hotel Staff Left Unpaid, Guests Barred Access HUGH SULLIVAN The Vive Hotel at 44 Havelock Road in Hastings Town Centre closed last month after two companies involved in its management…
Council Turns Down Restaurant Licence Application
Hastings BC’s Licensing Committee has rejected a new premises licence application from the Ocean Spice Indian restaurant, located on Hastings seafront. The decision followed a recommendation from Sussex Police, who…
Café on the Hill
Troika Projects, the local consortium appointed by Hastings BC to develop the West Hill Cafe and Castle Project, have applied for planning permission to set up and run a “mobile…
Suspended prison for shopkeeper
At a hearing on 24 April Hastings Magistrates sentenced the owner of the Castle Street shop Delboys, Lhon Karimi, to 12 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, after he pleaded…
Ukrainian Celebration in Hastings
FERDUSARA BEGUM ALI The vibrant spirit of the Ukrainian community was on show at the Hastings Concordia Hall last Sunday as locals gathered to celebrate Vyshyvanka Day. This special occasion…
Carib Owner Claims Intimidation
PAUL MCLAUGHLIN Adebayo Olujobi (Bayo), the owner of the Carib de L’Afrique restaurant in the heart of Hastings town centre, has shared his experiences of ongoing harassment he and his…
No Favours from Rother DC for Colonnade Traders
HUGH SULLIVAN The Bexhill Colonnade, which accommodates a parade of independent shops and cafes along the seafront promenade immediately below the De La Warr Pavilion, is to undergo extensive renovation…
Getting Greener
New Council Leader and Mayor Elected by Hastings Council At the Annual Full Council meeting of Hastings Borough Council last Wednesday (15 May), Julia Hilton stepped down as leader, to…
Local War of Words Escalates over Gaza Killings
HUGH SULLIVAN News reports of Israel’s blockade of humanitarian relief to Gaza and of the renewed military assault upon its citizens have provoked fresh passions amongst local citizens, whether sympathetic…
Wave of Protest
HUGH SULLIVAN and PAUL MCLAUGHLIN Plans for a major new housing development on the former bathing pool site at Seaside Road in West St Leonards have been revealed by prospective…
Save Sandrock Bends
PAUL MCLAUGHLIN Gladman Developments Ltd, part of the Barratt Developments PLC Group since 2022, has submitted a planning application to Hastings Borough Council for up to 65 new homes on…
Not Feeling the Vibes
PAUL MCLAUGHLIN Carib de L’Afrique, the Afro-Caribbean and African restaurant located in the heart of Hastings town centre, is a popular local dining spot. The restaurant was opened in 2018…
Road to Nowhere – Lost in Time
PAUL MCLAUGHLIN Work on the Queensway Gateway Road, the so-called road to nowhere, which began last September and was initially due for completion before Christmas, has faced further delays. The…