Video reveals the faces of the past – but do you know who they are?
There was an amazing response top out feature last weekend when we published photographs from the ‘Derelict In The UK’ archives of the Ashdown pub that once stood at the end of Downey Close.
On our social media channels so many people posted their memories. Some people met there, some people held their wedding reception there while other worked behind the bar or had friends and relatives who were in the staff
The photographs we carried showed the Ashdown in a pretty bad way but Hastings’ YouTuber Lewis Merrin filmed in the Ashdown just before it was demolished and after it had been the target of a suspected arson attack.
The video gives real sense of just how derelict the pub was by then, we think about 2017 but in a fascinating twist towards the end of the video – at about 11 minutes, Lewis finds a collection of old photographs, including a mayoral visit to the Ashdown. The pictures appear to be from the 1990s.
Here’s a link and if the video jogs any more memories we’d love to hear them.
So let’s visit the Ashdown, which by the time these photographs were taken in 2016 had most certainly seen better days and if you can fill in some of the blanks then please use the comment section at the bottom of the page. We’d love to know when it closed its door for the last time for example. And if you were a regular or worked behind the bar what memories do you have of the place? Tell us below.
Derelict in The UK found the old pub hidden in the trees and say; “Once inside we noticed that it seemed far bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside.
“There is a pinball machine, arcade grabber machine and the bars were still in ‘ok’ condition, however you can tell this place has suffered considerable abuse from vandals.
“We have found little information from previous planning permissions that this was originally intended to be a regional seat of government during the cold war and was later used as a members club. In 2004 the land use was converted to a pub but unfortunately we was unable to find a closure date.”
I spent most of my childhood in and out of that club. When I was 13-14 years old,It had the best disco in the local area the good old Terry James disco.
The place was always busy we people from the local Estate, had one of the best darts teams in the local leagues.
Christmas and New year was always a lot of fun for the kids and the adults. Real sense of community Spirit ,special times .
Lots of party is in the hall.
I had my 30th birthday there in 1988. The band One night stand, played which featured my husband on lead guitar. My sister in law was a barmaid there. I remember the beer was very cheap.
“….and the parking area that covers where the pub once stood.”
Technically not correct. The photo in question (right) only shows the drive up to where four new 3-storey town houses now stand on the site of the club / bar.
Anyway, as Trevor pointed out, as kids we had the best discos thanks to local legend Terry James.
Good times.
Oh, and jumping on and off the roof was a favourite pastime for most of the kids of that era… 🙂
The picture of the Nayor dancing with a woman is Cllr John Hodgson
It was a nuclear shelter before it became Ashdown Community club