Chopbacks ease into next round

Wisden Junior Cup second Round Hawkhurst Utd II 0 South Coast Athletico 5 Cup days are always special and with a quarter final place in the ESFL Wisden Sports Cup up for grabs the lads of South Coast Athletico were buzzing to get on the pitch away to Hawkhurst 2nds. These teams had already met twice in the league yielding a […]

Ports defeated in pulsating contest

St Leonards CP 19 East Grinstead 49 (HT 7-12) While the score suggests otherwise Ports faced the league leaders and for 70 minutes went head to head with them. Ports had a large squad, as did their visitors, but knew they would be facing a well-drilled and organised team. Grinstead had the early possession and […]

Double council tax plan for owners of empty homes

Owners of empty houses in Hastings could face a doubling of their council tax if the borough council uses new government rules to their fullest extent. If approved, the charge which is being considered as part of the council’s 2019/20 budget, would apply to properties that have been empty and unfurnished for more than two […]

Don’t alienate people from climate debate say local Greens

Siting solar farms on a precious areas of outstanding natural beauty like Hastings Country Park risks alienated people from the whole debate around our response to climate breakdown says Hastings Green party While the Party has welcomed the Hastings Borough Council’s commitment to creating local renewable energy it has serious reservations about the siting of […]

Councillor says ‘no’ to ‘industrialisation’ of country park

Labour members of Hastings Borough Council (HBC) are being accused of breaking their promises to the public. The council chamber was packed, almost to capacity, on Monday night when the council’s ruling cabinet met to discuss plans that could see ten acres of ground mounted solar panels (arrays) being installed on Hastings Country Park. The […]

Hidden in plain sight – BID for town centre success

It’s easy to see the negatives but sometimes it takes someone to point out the obvious before we can see the positives. One of those positives right on our doorstep is that when it comes to the rate of vacant commercial property Hastings punches well above its weight – especially for a town recognised as […]

Finally soled and heeled – a very personal tribute to John the Cobbler

Just before Christmas a new bench was officially unveiled at the top of Courthouse Street in memory of John Napier, better known as John The Cobbler. During the ceremony Bishop Peter Wheatley blessed the bench and Jonathan Mendenhall gave an emotional speech with Sandra, John’s partner, being invited to be the first person to sit […]