Sure it has it's problems, most towns do and it certainly wouldn't suit everyone. We've lived down here for almost 3 years now and really like it, I've lived in a number of places in SE London, NW Kent as well as Brighton and prefer Hastings to any of them. There are some really nice areas such as the Old Town, Clive Vale and the area around Alexander Park. Plenty of places to eat and the pubs in the Old Town are generally decent. St Leonards is on the up aswell, quite a few 'trendy types' are moving in from Brighton (bored with the pretence of the place and it's become to mainstream for some). As I said at the beginning not everyones cup of tea, but this place has plenty to do and a calender of events though-out the year that is pretty amazing......come down on Pirates Day, Carnival week, Bonfire night (around mid October), Fat Tuesday, Wine and Seafood festival, Hastings beer and music festival or Jack in the Green day and I'm sure most would be impressed. Also ask yourself, is where you live any better?...
Off to my annual holiday to Camber Sands on Saturday for a week so will get to visit nice and pleasant Rye and not so pleasant Hastings. One thing that baffles me also is the amount of French/German tourists that come to Hastings, surely you would just head to London instead.
Big scooter run down there next Friday to the Pontins site, went last year and going again this time, cracking weekend it is too.
I live in Hastings and at this point should leap to its defence and get the right hump for it being slagged off........ But I cant! It has got some nice little areas (Old Town) but in general, and definitely during summer, its is a sh*thole. The main town in particular has just become a lad centre interspersed with coffee shop chains and pub chains.
I think we were the suicide capital of England not long back, there you go then!
If you feel like that then it might be better for you to move on, don't know what part of town you are from but personally I live in a decent part of Hastings, frequently visit the Old Town, and whilst I do partly agree that the town centre isn't great it's no worse then many towns of a similar size......for me the positives far outweigh the negatives and if this changes in the future then I would consider moving...but hopefully this won't happen.
Off to my annual holiday to Camber Sands on Saturday for a week so will get to visit nice and pleasant Rye and not so pleasant Hastings. One thing that baffles me also is the amount of French/German tourists that come to Hastings, surely you would just head to London instead.
Big scooter run down there next Friday to the Pontins site, went last year and going again this time, cracking weekend it is too.
Sure it has it's problems, most towns do and it certainly wouldn't suit everyone. We've lived down here for almost 3 years now and really like it, I've lived in a number of places in SE London, NW Kent as well as Brighton and prefer Hastings to any of them. There are some really nice areas such as the Old Town, Clive Vale and the area around Alexander Park. Plenty of places to eat and the pubs in the Old Town are generally decent. St Leonards is on the up aswell, quite a few 'trendy types' are moving in from Brighton (bored with the pretence of the place and it's become to mainstream for some). As I said at the beginning not everyones cup of tea, but this place has plenty to do and a calender of events though-out the year that is pretty amazing......come down on Pirates Day, Carnival week, Bonfire night (around mid October), Fat Tuesday, Wine and Seafood festival, Hastings beer and music festival or Jack in the Green day and I'm sure most would be impressed. Also ask yourself, is where you live any better?...
Didn't university of Sussex/Brighton open a campus there recently? Would explain all the trendy types who get a place at a uni in Brighton only to find out that their course is based in Hastings
Sure it has it's problems, most towns do and it certainly wouldn't suit everyone. We've lived down here for almost 3 years now and really like it, I've lived in a number of places in SE London, NW Kent as well as Brighton and prefer Hastings to any of them. There are some really nice areas such as the Old Town, Clive Vale and the area around Alexander Park. Plenty of places to eat and the pubs in the Old Town are generally decent. St Leonards is on the up aswell, quite a few 'trendy types' are moving in from Brighton (bored with the pretence of the place and it's become to mainstream for some). As I said at the beginning not everyones cup of tea, but this place has plenty to do and a calender of events though-out the year that is pretty amazing......come down on Pirates Day, Carnival week, Bonfire night (around mid October), Fat Tuesday, Wine and Seafood festival, Hastings beer and music festival or Jack in the Green day and I'm sure most would be impressed. Also ask yourself, is where you live any better?...
Didn't university of Sussex/Brighton open a campus there recently? Would explain all the trendy types who get a place at a uni in Brighton only to find out that their course is based in Hastings
No, people are actually moving over this way now (mainly to St Leonards) for some Brighton's had it's day. I enjoyed living there for a couple of years but after a while we grew tired of it and wouldn't consider going back, though we still pop down there to visit friends a couple of times a year.
Off to my annual holiday to Camber Sands on Saturday for a week so will get to visit nice and pleasant Rye and not so pleasant Hastings. One thing that baffles me also is the amount of French/German tourists that come to Hastings, surely you would just head to London instead.
Big scooter run down there next Friday to the Pontins site, went last year and going again this time, cracking weekend it is too.
Forget Pontins, it's all about Park Resorts
Is that the one next to the Coop...and a pub....can't recall it's name?
I've always found Hastings an interesting place to visit. I usually get off the train at St Leonards Warrior Square and walk down the High Street of Victorian facades to Marine Court, the impressive Deco block of flats designed like a liner. Then along the front past the magnificent Edwardian hotels converted to language schools. Hastings pier burned down a few years ago but apparently has funding for restoration. The tall, black weatherboarded net huts are unique, and this is the only place on the south coast where fishing boats are landed on the beach. The lift up East Cliff gives tremendous views, then I like to wander down through the narrow streets and alleys of the Old Town and have a pint or two of Shepherd Neame Master Brew in the Cinque Port Arms. Next time I will explore the hinterland between St Leonards and Hastings, Regency streets laid out by the eminent Decimus Burton. Yes, some of Hastings is pretty rough, but I think that friction adds to its appeal. My sister and her husband are planning to join the exodus from Brighton to the town.
I've always found Hastings an interesting place to visit. I usually get off the train at St Leonards Warrior Square and walk down the High Street of Victorian facades to Marine Court, the impressive Deco block of flats designed like a liner. Then along the front past the magnificent Edwardian hotels converted to language schools. Hastings pier burned down a few years ago but apparently has funding for restoration. The tall, black weatherboarded net huts are unique, and this is the only place on the south coast where fishing boats are landed on the beach. The lift up East Cliff gives tremendous views, then I like to wander down through the narrow streets and alleys of the Old Town and have a pint or two of Shepherd Neame Master Brew in the Cinque Port Arms. Next time I will explore the hinterland between St Leonards and Hastings, Regency streets laid out by the eminent Decimus Burton. Yes, some of Hastings is pretty rough, but I think that friction adds to its appeal. My sister and her husband are planning to join the exodus from Brighton to the town.
Nice post, good to read the positives.....Cinque Ports is our local (in the Old Town), no Shepherd and Neame in their though.....ESB, Harveys and Otter Ale are the norm. Very friendly pub and the best barmaid in Hastings (Andy)....great bar snacks on a Sunday afternoon....you should also pop up to the Stag (2 mins up the road from the Cinque Ports)....then cross over to the FILO (high street)....down to Porters or the Hastings Arms and then onto the Royal Standard and the Trader...do this on a Sunday afternoon and you won't be disapointed (live music in the Royal Standard 4-6pm and live music in the trader from 5-8pm...most Sundays).
I've always found Hastings an interesting place to visit. I usually get off the train at St Leonards Warrior Square and walk down the High Street of Victorian facades to Marine Court, the impressive Deco block of flats designed like a liner. Then along the front past the magnificent Edwardian hotels converted to language schools. Hastings pier burned down a few years ago but apparently has funding for restoration. The tall, black weatherboarded net huts are unique, and this is the only place on the south coast where fishing boats are landed on the beach. The lift up East Cliff gives tremendous views, then I like to wander down through the narrow streets and alleys of the Old Town and have a pint or two of Shepherd Neame Master Brew in the Cinque Port Arms. Next time I will explore the hinterland between St Leonards and Hastings, Regency streets laid out by the eminent Decimus Burton. Yes, some of Hastings is pretty rough, but I think that friction adds to its appeal. My sister and her husband are planning to join the exodus from Brighton to the town.
Nice post, good to read the positives.....Cinque Ports is our local (in the Old Town), no Shepherd and Neame in their though.....ESB, Harveys and Otter Ale are the norm. Very friendly pub and the best barmaid in Hastings (Andy)....great bar snacks on a Sunday afternoon....you should also pop up to the Stag (2 mins up the road from the Cinque Ports)....then cross over to the FILO (high street)....down to Porters or the Hastings Arms and then onto the Royal Standard and the Trader...do this on a Sunday afternoon and you won't be disapointed (live music in the Royal Standard 4-6pm and live music in the trader from 5-8pm...most Sundays).
I've always found Hastings an interesting place to visit. I usually get off the train at St Leonards Warrior Square and walk down the High Street of Victorian facades to Marine Court, the impressive Deco block of flats designed like a liner. Then along the front past the magnificent Edwardian hotels converted to language schools. Hastings pier burned down a few years ago but apparently has funding for restoration. The tall, black weatherboarded net huts are unique, and this is the only place on the south coast where fishing boats are landed on the beach. The lift up East Cliff gives tremendous views, then I like to wander down through the narrow streets and alleys of the Old Town and have a pint or two of Shepherd Neame Master Brew in the Cinque Port Arms. Next time I will explore the hinterland between St Leonards and Hastings, Regency streets laid out by the eminent Decimus Burton. Yes, some of Hastings is pretty rough, but I think that friction adds to its appeal. My sister and her husband are planning to join the exodus from Brighton to the town.
Nice post, good to read the positives.....Cinque Ports is our local (in the Old Town), no Shepherd and Neame in their though.....ESB, Harveys and Otter Ale are the norm. Very friendly pub and the best barmaid in Hastings (Andy)....great bar snacks on a Sunday afternoon....you should also pop up to the Stag (2 mins up the road from the Cinque Ports)....then cross over to the FILO (high street)....down to Porters or the Hastings Arms and then onto the Royal Standard and the Trader...do this on a Sunday afternoon and you won't be disapointed (live music in the Royal Standard 4-6pm and live music in the trader from 5-8pm...most Sundays).
I've lived in Hastings for 30 years yes it's chav central but a lot worse places to live like St Leonards
So you spent 30 years living in 'Chav Central'.....why spend so long living somewhere that you obviously don't think that much of ? Why didn't you move on years ago?
It's ok here actually just joking Hastings no better or worse than many English towns but St Leonards is bed sit land .I know more Arsenal fans down here than any other but not many Brighton fans seeing that there closest
It's ok here actually just joking Hastings no better or worse than many English towns but St Leonards is bed sit land .I know more Arsenal fans down here than any other but not many Brighton fans seeing that there closest
Believe it or not St leonards is on the up, take a walk along Kings road or Norman Road, it's improving all the time, mind you there are areas to avoid, needless to say the area around Kenilworth Road.....though I did read somewhere this area may be due for some needy financial investment...we will see.
Hastingsaddick or any other resident - I have yet to explore the areas of town laid out by Decimus Burton. I'm interested in townscapes and architecture; can you suggest any particular streets or buildings I should look at?
Another question: I recently met a lady who said she lives in "The Crescent" in Hastings, which might just be an abbreviation. She is a professional artist, and I got the feeling "The Crescent" may be an arty enclave. Do you know exactly where this is?
Off to my annual holiday to Camber Sands on Saturday for a week so will get to visit nice and pleasant Rye and not so pleasant Hastings. One thing that baffles me also is the amount of French/German tourists that come to Hastings, surely you would just head to London instead.
Big scooter run down there next Friday to the Pontins site, went last year and going again this time, cracking weekend it is too.
Forget Pontins, it's all about Park Resorts
Is that the one next to the Coop...and a pub....can't recall it's name?
The area around the seafront at St Leonards is the best area to see architecture by Decimus Burton .Theres also a large block of flats called Marine Court built in the 60s designed to look like an Ocean Liner (I think its now a listed building).The area behind this building is where most of the Burton architecture is.As for The Crescent there is a road called that but its newer houses 1930s I think just a normal residential area its just off the A21 as you come into Hastings.i used to live near the Cresent in Orpington
The area around the seafront at St Leonards is the best area to see architecture by Decimus Burton .Theres also a large block of flats called Marine Court built in the 60s designed to look like an Ocean Liner (I think its now a listed building).The area behind this building is where most of the Burton architecture is.As for The Crescent there is a road called that but its newer houses 1930s I think just a normal residential area its just off the A21 as you come into Hastings.i used to live near the Cresent in Orpington
Thanks for that very useful info. Yes, I like Marine Court - but it's much earlier than 60s; was opened in 1937 according to professor Wiki.
Hastingsaddick or any other resident - I have yet to explore the areas of town laid out by Decimus Burton. I'm interested in townscapes and architecture; can you suggest any particular streets or buildings I should look at?
Another question: I recently met a lady who said she lives in "The Crescent" in Hastings, which might just be an abbreviation. She is a professional artist, and I got the feeling "The Crescent" may be an arty enclave. Do you know exactly where this is?
You may also be interested in the area around Alexander Park, some fine Victorian houses there, Clive Vale is an area that is also worth a little wander around with more fine Victorian architecture.......but if it's Decimus Burton that you are particularly interested in then better to stick to the St Leonards area.
Marine Court was built in the late 20s/early 30s it really was a building before its time ..the original interior was very art deco ,the building originally had its own restaurant for its residents who could ring down and have dinners delivered to their room ,Burton st leonards truly does contain some fantastic architecture ,look out for east ascent/norman road/st leonards gardens ..st leonards is becoming more gentrified ...but there are some places that are horrific(virtually crumbling away) and badly in need of investment .Unfortunately the area around Marine Court is littered with dog cr ap and i can never fathom out why.
My other halfs step father used to own Marine court ...the view of the sea from say the 8th floor is magnificent ..the hastings and burton st leonards historic society have a little office at the entrance to st leonards gardens and if anyone is interested its really worth a look in
i could add an awful lot more but i accept that hastings (like a lot of seaside towns has seen a lot of neglect but id agree its on the up ,but slowly on the up.)...better connections and new employers in the area might help
Thanks, lolwray and Hastingsaddick - I'll definitely remember to turn right at Marine Court on my way down from Warrior Square station and explore all the Burton streets and buildings. In Brighton recently, I was looking at Embassy Court (1936), perhaps similar to Marine in ethos, but much less impressive in appearance. One of my literary heroes has a pad in Marine: the psychogeographer Iain Sinclair, who retains his family home in Hackney and holes up in St Leonards to research and write.
'Theres also a large block of flats called Marine Court built in the 60s designed to look like an Ocean Liner (I think its now a listed building).The area behind this building is where most of the Burton architecture is.'
Most of the immigrants used to be around the Warrior Square area there was a hotel called the Adelphi but it closed down.They are spread around now but still a lot from that area,unless you include scousers .Not many hub caps around there.
Comments
Another question: I recently met a lady who said she lives in "The Crescent" in Hastings, which might just be an abbreviation. She is a professional artist, and I got the feeling "The Crescent" may be an arty enclave. Do you know exactly where this is?
My other halfs step father used to own Marine court ...the view of the sea from say the 8th floor is magnificent ..the hastings and burton st leonards historic society have a little office at the entrance to st leonards gardens and if anyone is interested its really worth a look in
i could add an awful lot more but i accept that hastings (like a lot of seaside towns has seen a lot of neglect but id agree its on the up ,but slowly on the up.)...better connections and new employers in the area might help
Is that the one that is loaded with immigrants?