Bexhill News, September 2024, Issue 27

SEPTEMBER 2024 | ISSUE 27

YOUR FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER FOR BEXHILL, COODEN, SIDLEY, PEBSHAM AND SURROUNDING AREAS

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: LOCAL NEWS • EVENTS • FEATURES • MOTORING • SPORT

LOCAL, FRIENDLY, RELIABLE

TEDDIES FLY IN — P4

BANK IS CLOSING — P5

DEVELOPMENT LATEST — P9

MOTOR SHOW ONCE

AGAIN PROVES TO BE

A REAL CLASSIC

INSURED BACKED GUARANTEE

New Roofs l Flat Roofs l Leadwork

Chimneys l Ridge Tiles & Gable Ends

UPVC Facias, Soffits & Guttering

Int/Ext Painting l Roof Coating

Moss Removal l Roofing Repairs

Building Repairs l Driveways & Patios,

Landscaping l Fencing l Drainage

01424 799645

100 Menzies Road, St. Leonards, TN38 9BB

www.hydroguardroofing.co.uk

SIVYERS AUCTIONS

FRIDAY 20th SEPTEMBER

Auction starts at 11.00am

viewing in person.

Wednesday and Thursday prior to

auction

COMMISSION 18% INCLUSIVE

Online catelogue viewable from

Sunday prior to auction

at www.sivyers.com

FREE VALUATIONS

Gold and silver, stamps, toys,

collectables, furniture, paintings,

ceramics and rugs etc...

FOLLOW US ON

INSTAGRAM

HUNDREDS FLOCK TO POLEGROVE FOR BEXHILL 100’S

BANK HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR — SEE PAGES 14-15

YOUR LOCAL AUCTION at the

Old West Station, Terminus Road,

Bexhill -on-Sea

Tel: 01424 217640

Email: info@sivyers.com

A BEXHILL LANDMARK SINCE 1902

2 NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2024

Latest local news, visit: eastsussex.news/bexhill

WELCOME

WELCOME to the latest issue of

Bexhill News and as per usual there

has been plenty going on to keep us

all entertained.

There was the annual Bexhill Day

which celebrated our town and was

once again a roaring success with

the highlight being a flypast by a

Lancaster Bomber, the stalwart of

the Second World War.

The record fair at the De La Warr

attracted hundreds of visitors of all

ages who were keen to augment their

vinyl record collections.

Finally, there was the motor show

at the Polegrove which is an absolute

nirvana for petrolheads and always

draws a big crowd on Bank Holiday

Monday.

There are cars of all shapes and

sizes from classic Minis to iconic top

of the range classics such as Aston

Martins and Jaguars.

As ever, it is not all good news and

the closure of Bexhill’s branch of

Lloyds is another major blow to our

high street.

That decision follows in the

footsteps of banking giants NatWest

and Barclays to also shut their

branches in the town and it is an

increasingly worrying trend.

Despite continuing efforts to

persuade us to embrace online

banking or to use so-called “banking

hubs” many simply do not wish to do

so and who can blame them?

Yes, we all accept that technology

plays a significant role in modern

society but it is not the be-all and

end-all.

Interacting with fellow human

beings remains the most pleasurable

form of communication and we

should never lose that.

Kim Mayo, editor

THE TEAM

PAUL GIBSON — GROUP EDITOR

paul@regionalmediagroup.co.uk

KIM MAYO – REGIONAL EDITOR

kim@regionalmediagroup.co.uk

HSIN-YI LO – REGIONAL EDITOR

hsinyilo@regionalmediagroup.co.uk

LYLE ACOTT – ADVERTISING SALES

sales@regionalmediagroup.co.uk

VIKTORIA COWLEY – FEATURES AND ACCOUNTS

viktoria@regionalmediagroup.co.uk

MIKE LEGG – SPORTS REPORTER

sports@regionalmediagroup.co.uk

DEAN COOK – PRODUCTION

dean@regionalmediagroup.co.uk

READ ME, SHARE ME,

THEN RECYCLE ME!

Bexhill News is a publication by Regional Media

Group Ltd, a company registered in England

and Wales number: 13746177. We have taken

care to ensure that the information in this

newspaper is correct. Neither the publisher,

nor contributors can take responsibility for loss

or damage resulting from errors or omissions.

Bexhill News does not endorse the accuracy

of the advertisements or the quality of the

products/services being advertised.

Information provided by businesses and

community organisations are provided directly

by their own representatives; please direct any

queries or comments regarding content directly

to the organisation. Any opinion or views

expressed within this publication are solely

those of the author. © 2024: No part of this

newspaper may be reproduced in part or whole

without express permission of the editor.

Let’s all raise a glass or

two as the Brickmaker’s

picks up top accolade

Brickmaker’s Alehouse

BRICKMAKER’S Alehouse has been

named as Pub of the Year 2024 in

Sussex and Surrey, having been

confirmed by CAMRA South East

(Campaign for Real Ale).

The team at the pub in Sea Road,

Bexhill, said they are extremely

proud of the achievement and to

be recognised for their work in

contributing to the “golden age” for

real ales.

Runner-up went to Tower in St

Leonards, while Cider Pub of the Year

Teenager jailed following collision

on stolen motorcycle in Bexhill

IN the early afternoon on June 8,

a motorbike was stolen from the

Mount Idol View area in Bexhill.

At 1.30pm, the rider of the stolen

bike, a 17-year-old from Bexhill, failed

to give way at the junction of Cranston

Avenue and Eastwood Road.

He crashed at speed into a vehicle

on Eastwood Road and was propelled

off the motorcycle, over the back of

the vehicle, and into the road.

The motorcycle was written off in

in the South East went to Robin Hood

in Icklesham, and second place went

to Waterworks in Rye.

CAMRA South East also awarded the

Albatross (RAFA) in Bexhill to be Club

of the Year, while New Beach Club in

Pett claimed second place.

Brickmaker’s Alehouse posted on

their Facebook page: “We’ve now

received official confirmation that we

have won CAMRA’s Sussex Pub of the

Year 2024.

“This is an incredible achievement

the incident, and the teenager was

lucky to escape without serious injury.

The 17-year-old was arrested two

days later at their home address

on suspicion of aggravated vehicle

taking, driving otherwise than in

accordance with a licence, using a

vehicle without insurance, and for

driving whilst disqualified.

He was taken to custody and

interviewed, and then bailed while

necessary enquiries took place.

Brickmaker’s Alehouse team celebrates win

for a small, fairly new pub and in

doing so we have beaten some of our

favourite places to drink in Brighton

and throughout Sussex. A great

honour indeed.

“We want to thank everyone at

CAMRA who have given us their

support; the incredible breweries,

local and national, who are brewing

some outstanding ales and making

this a golden age for real ales; and, of

course, our brilliant bar team who

constantly set new standards for great

customer service.

“Most of all, though, we want to

thank our special patrons and loyal

friends who make the Brickmaker’s

the vibrant and welcoming

community local that we set out

to achieve.

On July 9, the teenager, who

cannot be named for legal reasons,

appeared at Hastings Youth Court,

charged with handling stolen goods,

driving otherwise than in accordance

with a licence, using a vehicle

without insurance, and for driving

whilst disqualified.

He was then bailed from court

pending his next hearing.

On August 12 at Hastings

Magistrates’ Court, he entered a guilty

plea to all offences with the exception

of handling stolen goods which

remains on file.

He was sentenced the same day to

26 weeks’ imprisonment.

Officer in charge, PC Grant

Freeman said: “These crimes have

a significant impact, not just on the

victims who lose their vehicles, but on

the wider community’s sense of safety

“We are now going forward to

compete with the best pubs in Surrey

and Kent for the regional award. We’d

love you all to cheer us on, who knows

what the future holds?

“We’d also like to send many

congratulations to the Albatross Club

who have picked up the Sussex Club

Of The Year award and the Robin

Hood Icklesham who are the Sussex

Cider Pub Of The Year; making it a

clean sweep for South East Sussex.”

Now, the 17 regional winners will

compete for the coveted title of

National Pub of the Year.

Out of the 17, judges will be selecting

four finalists and the contenders will

be announced in late September. The

winner of National Pub of the Year

will be crowned in January 2025.

and security.

“The teenager involved in this case

was fortunate to escape the collision

without serious injury, or even losing

their life, highlighting the dangers of

irresponsible driving.

“Excess speed is the cause of one

in three collisions in Sussex, and

speeding is one of the main ‘fatal five’

factors in why people are killed or

seriously injured on our roads.

“We will continue to prosecute those

who engage in criminal activity such

as this, and work to make our streets

safer for everyone.

“If you’ve been a victim of this type

of crime, we strongly urge you to

contact police as early as possible.

“Your report could make a crucial

difference in helping us bring

offenders to justice and preventing

further crimes.”

You can make a report online: www.

sussex.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/

how-to-report-a-crime/

Or you can call 101. Always dial 999

in an emergency.

Bexhill-On-Sea

SIR RANULPH

FIENNES

Mon 16 September

BIANCA DEL

RIO

Wed 25 September

OKTOBERFEST

AT DLWP

Fri 27 & Sat 28 Sept

OYSTERBAND &

JUNE TABOR

Sat 5 October

INSTRUMENTALIST

OF THE WORLD

Sat 12 October

THE VACCINES

Tue 22 October

@dlwp @dlwp35 @delawarr

dlwp.com

4 NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2024


Howard Martin with his mate, Biggest Bear

Flying Teddy Bears and

plenty of family fun as

Bexhill Lions put on

spectacular at De La Warr

PHOTOS: BEXHILL LIONS

CLUB FACEBOOK PAGE

MOST of us have grown up with

a Teddy Bear and they usually

stay with us throughout life’s ups

and downs.

They are loyal and loveable

companions but conversation is

minimal as they spend most of the

time sleeping in their favourite spot

which invariably tend to be on a

favourite armchair or at the foot of

the bed.

Much like humans, they come in

all shapes and sizes, some are brand

new and others show signs of a life

well lived.

However, movement tends to

be minimal. At least that was the

case until recently when many of

those residing in Bexhill were rudely

awakened from their slumber.

Why I hear you ask? Well, the

reason is simple because Bexhill

Lions had organised a special event at

the De La Warr Pavilion for families

and their furry friends.

It proved to be a hugely popular

occasion as more than 200 families

took part in a variety of events,

including the bears taking to a zip

wire and parachuting down from the

upper level of the pavilion.

It is fair to say that some bears were

more enthusiastic participants than

others while one particularly portly

individual even failed to make it off

the ground!

The bear in question was the aptlynamed

Biggest Bear owned by none

other than Bexhill Chamber

of Commerce President Howard

Martin who was left red-faced as

his much-loved mate was barred

from both parachuting and using

the zip wire for having piled on too

many pounds.

Needless to say, Biggest Bear went

into a major sulk before discovering

there were several other events which

he could take part in and his smile

soon returned.

Biggest Bear had also brought along

his chum Pepe the Biker Bear who

fortunately measured up for the two

aerial challenges by being less than

18 inches tall and like so many of his

contemporaries he had a whale of

a time.

The event was held on August

4 to raise funds for Bexhill Lions

Club who do so much good work in

the community and the response

from local residents and visitors

was phenomenal.

On a glorious summer’s day

as the bears and their owners

enjoyed a fun-filled day of activities,

thanks to the support of Bexhill

Lions, the Royal Marine Cadets and

the Pavilion.

Biggest Bear and Pepe talking about their big day out. Photo: Howard Martin

This is Growler who is nearly 60 years old

Latest local news, visit: eastsussex.news/bexhill SEPTEMBER 2024 NEWS 5

Concerns increase as yet another major

bank closes doors for final time

ANGER is mounting over the

closure of yet another high street

bank in Bexhill after Lloyds

confirmed it would be shutting

the doors of its branch for the final

time in September.

The decision follows the footsteps

of fellow banking giants NatWest and

Barclays, who have also closed their

branches in Devonshire Rod, leaving

three gaping holes in the high street.

The decision by Lloyds has

infuriated Bexhill Chamber of

Commerce President Howard

Martin, who was quick to voice his

disappointment.

Mr Martin said: “Bexhill Chamber

of Commerce is appalled by the

lack of action being taken over the

closure of Lloyds Bank, the last

remaining big four bank in Bexhill.

“This leaves our community and

local businesses with no vital counter

services and is just another nail in the

coffin of cash.

“While the Post Office is expected to

take up some of the banking services

they are already overstretched and

inundated by the demands being put

on their counter staff.

“Our politicians have long been

promising us a banking hub run

by all the main banks but this has

unsurprisingly failed to materialise.

“We have known about this

proposed closure for nearly a year

and Bexhill Chamber was working

hard with Locate East Sussex to

attract inward investment from

leading hotel and hospitality

providers to take over the premises

but now Locate has been abolished

and now the councils have

WHAT DO

YOU THINK?

Email your comments to

letters@bexhill.news

taken over the role that interest

has evaporated.

“Empty buildings and the lack of

a coherent town centre strategy are

creating a vacuum in Bexhill that is

being filled by criminality.

“Empty landmark buildings

like banks that are not quickly

regenerated drag down the town in

such a way as to make investment

appear unwelcoming.”

Many also believe that so-called

banking “hubs” are simply not the

answer to an increasing malaise in

the financial sector.

For many, a visit to their local

branch is a “comfort blanket” as

they are not comfortable with using

online banking which is being

pushed as a preferred option.

But for those who are unfamiliar

with using the internet it is proving

to be a scary prospect and one which

they do not wish to pursue.

However, the closure of bank

branches in our high streets is clearly

going to continue despite Nationwide

and Santander continuing to operate

branches in the town, for now

at least.

However, as Mr Martin correctly

pointed out, there are now

three major premises vacant in

Devonshire Road with no prospect

of them being taken over and

repurposed for other use any

time soon.

Much has been made of the

number of vacant commercial

properties in Bexhill. Some ideas

have been proposed in recent

months but thus far there has been

little in terms of real action and that

is an increasing concern.

YOUR DESTINATION FOR QUALITY

MOTs & MORE

Great town centre location

MoT’s, Servicing, Aircon & Repairs

‘Trust My Garage’ trading standards member

Friendly family owned company with easy online booking

Essential Service & MOT for £180 * (*up to 5 litres of oil)

Full Service & MoT £275 * (*Up to 5 litres of oil)

Simply book your MoT or service online at: www.motest.co.uk

Call: 01424 218080

Middlesex Road, Bexhill, TN40 1LX

Find us on Facebook

@ MOTESTBEXHILL

6 NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2024


Plans to turn former picture framing

shop in Devonshire Road into pub

A MUCH-LOVED picture

framing shop in Devonshire

Road has closed its doors for

the final time but there might

be light at the end of the tunnel

for the now empty premises.

Priceless was a staple of

Devonshire Road for many years

but the owners decided it was

no longer viable to maintain a

presence in the town centre,

although there are future plans to

continue offering picture framing

services although exact details

have yet to be finalised.

In the interim plans have

now been unveiled to turn the

premises into a bar with planning

permission being sought.

After the closure on July 31, a

sign was displayed on the window

stating that a change of use is

being applied for.

The notice posted by Paul

and Sandra Crone states: “We

hereby give notice that we

have applied to the Licensing

Authority at Rother District

Council for the grant of

a premises’ licence at 69

Priceless in Devonshire Road closed down in July this year

Devonshire Road, Bexhill

(formerly known as Priceless).

“The application is to change the

premises to a public house called

The Strand with the following

licensable activities (namely)

sale of alcohol on the premises

and provision of regulated

entertainment, including live and

recorded music.”

If plans are approved it is

believed the proposed

opening hours would be Monday

to Sunday between 11am

and 11pm.

Circus performer

suffers multiple

injuries in horror

fall from high wire

ONLOOKERS gasped in horror as a circus

performer plummeted to the ground after losing

her footing during a performance.

The female tightrope walker was part of a troupe

who were putting on their act at the Gravity Circus in

Glyne Gap field on August 19.

The performer suffered significant injuries to

her face but they were described as non

life-threatening”.

The injured woman was transported to the Royal

Sussex Hospital in Brighton after initially being

treated at the scene of the accident.

A hospital spokesman confirmed that the

injuries she suffered were “consistent with a fall

from height”.

The circus also issued a statement which said:

“An accident occurred which involved one of our

tightrope walkers.

“In live entertainment and high-risk performances

accidents can still unfortunately happen despite

stringent safety checks.

“Our safety protocols were immediately enacted

(following the incident) and the performer was

immediately transported to hospital.

“Our key concern is the welfare of the performer

and their family and the entire circus family. We will

be conducting a thorough investigation to establish

how this happened.”

8 NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2024


Care worker’s determination to assist

those suffering from dementia is helping

provide crucial support network

Liberal Democrat Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde visits Connections Café

PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY

SARAH LOUISE SAVILL

A dedicated care worker has

undertaken a Herculean effort

to save three dementia support

groups from closing in East Sussex.

Sarah Louise Savill, director of

Connections Café, had worked as

a coordinator for a charity which

operated numerous dementia

support groups across the county.

However, when the charity closed,

Sarah was determined to carry on

helping those who rely on support

groups as their main social contact.

She said: “It was a very big and difficult

job to set up Connections Café but it was

worth it. I had loads of support from

café attendees and volunteers who

helped make it possible.

“I received a lot of advice from services

like Dementia Information Service who

advised me on how to set up a CIC.

“I set up three GoFundMe accounts

for cafes in Eastbourne, Bexhill and

Crowborough in order to get the

groups up and running.”

Sarah and her team of supporters’

efforts have certainly paid off. Since

Connections Café opened in April

this year, it has been supporting

Connections Cafe director Sarah Louise Savill (left) with

volunteers Samantha Newson and Andrew Newson

more than 100 people in Eastbourne,

Bexhill and Crowborough.

Connections Café also support

families and dementia support

workers who share advice and work

out strategies to provide better care and

support for people living with dementia.

Sarah added: “People who had used

the previous charity were upset about

the closure and that really triggered

me to save those groups.

“There is a man name Alan who

used the service. He was so quiet

and his wife said he had always been

very reserved.

“When he first attended the café, he

said he wasn’t sure about staying as he

didn’t know if he would enjoy it.

“But then, on the last day of the

previous support groups’ closure, he

said to me ‘Sarah is there anything

you can do? This is my happy place’.

“At the time I had already planned

to set up Connections Café. But after

hearing what Alan said to me, I said to

myself ‘I must do this…what else are

they going to have?’”

“Alan is now a regular attendee at

Connections Café and he has really

come out of himself. He is dancing

and singing and is there on the dot

every week.”

According to the NHS, more than

944,000 people in the UK are living

with Dementia, and one in 11 over 65

have dementia in the country.

Sarah has been a personal assistant

for ten years. When asked about

her experience as a support worker,

Sarah said one needs to be “outgoing,

hands-on and involved”.

Right now, Connections Café is a

growing support group; they have

six volunteers and between 40 to 50

people attend sessions in Eastbourne,

more than 25 in Bexhill and about 30

in Crowborough.

The support groups are open once

a week with a small charge which

goes towards purchasing tea, coffee

and biscuits.

The sessions are held at the

following venues and times:

• Christ the King Church, 3 Princes

Road, Eastbourne BN23 6HT every

Tuesday from 1.30pm to 4.30pm,

with a £2.50 fee

• St Mark’s Church, Green Lane in

Little Common, Bexhill TN39 4BZ

every Thursday from 10.30am to

1pm. The meeting is on the second

floor with a £2.50 fee.

• Crowborough Community

Centre, Pine Grove TN6 1FE every

Friday from 1.30pm to 4.30pm,

with a £5 fee which helps pay for

booking charges.

For more information about

Connections Café, visit their

Facebook page on: www.facebook.

com/ConnectionsCafeSussex

Learn new skills at your local library

Improve your IT, maths or English

eastsussex.gov.uk/DiscoverLibraries


Major boost for Battle as much-needed affordable

homes are finally back on the agenda

MORE than 130 much-needed

affordable homes are once again

to be included in a council-backed

development in Battle.

At a recent meeting, Rother District

Council gave its support to a new

option for the Blackfriars site which

would see affordable rented homes

and properties for shared ownership

back on the plans.

The affordable homes element

of the development was removed

from the scheme in November last

year after increased costs made it

unviable.

But a redesign of the scheme, led

by Rother DC Housing Company Ltd

(RDCHC) and its Board of Directors,

and the appointment of a new main

contractor has improved the project’s

finances considerably.

Councillor Rauri McCourt, the district

council’s portfolio holder for housing,

said: “We are delighted to support the

reintroduction of affordable homes

to this important scheme which will

go some way to ease the housing

shortage in the district and provide

accommodation for families wanting

to remain in the area.

“The Blackfriars site has been

earmarked for housing for many

years and it has taken a great deal of

work to get to this point.

“I look forward to seeing the

development progress and the

community benefit from some muchneeded,

low carbon accommodation

in the area that will maximise the use

renewable energy technologies.

WHAT DO

YOU THINK?

Email your comments to

letters@bexhill.news

“It is a priority of the Government

to increase the building of genuinely

affordable homes- and it is our

priority in Rother too.”

Richard Thomas, chairman of

RDCHC, added: “The company

continues to deliver on its promise

to the Rother Community, to deliver

a scheme of 200 environmentally

friendly homes, that will be cheaper

to run.

“Of these 130 will be much-needed

affordable new homes, including

rented properties for those on the

housing waiting list and low-cost home

ownership for young first-time buyers.

“The Board and I are very proud of

what the company has achieved to

date and cannot wait to get building.

“Contractors should be on site by

January 2025. Huge thanks to all

involved.”

Funding of £8.7 million from Homes

England will help deliver a new road

and establish utilities on the site.

A bid for a further £8 million has

been made by Rother District Council

to enable the first part of the project to

be completed by December 2024.

Construction work is expected to

begin in January 2025.

Full details about the scheme can

be found at www.rother.gov.uk/

housing/housing-development/

blackfriars-site/

RIVER WINDOWS WHERE QUALITY AND SERVICE COMES FIRST

PVC

FABRICATION

MANAGER

WANTED

FRONT DOORS BI-FOLD DOORS CONSERVATORIES

DISABLED & SENIOR

CITIZEN DISCOUNTS

AMAZING RIVER WINDOW DISCOUNTS

FREE ESTIMATES

01424 22 22 77

CONSERVATORY, LANTERNS,

ORANGERY & GRP FLAT ROOF

SPECIALISTS

ALL SUPPORT BUILDING WORKS UNDERTAKEN

DOORS: Bi-folds, Patios, French & Stable

Doors.

WINDOWS: Vertical Sliders & casements,

Fascia, Soffit & Guttering + Glass, Handles &

Hinge Replacements

NEW

UNBEATABLE

TRADE PRICES

JUST VISIT

RIVERWINDOWS.CO.UK

VERTICAL SLIDERS

Est. 35 years

Visit our website at www.riverwindows.co.uk

or visit our factory at 8 Brett Drive, (by Ravenside), Bexhill, East Sussex, TN40 2JP

DISABLED & SENIOR CITIZENS DISCOUNTS ALL PRICES SUBJECT TO VAT. TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY

10 REGULARS

SEPTEMBER 2024


COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

BEXHILL

BRING & BUY BOOK SALE. Bell Room, St Peter’s

Community Centre, Church Street, TN40 2HE

Saturday 5 October, 10-4pm. To raise much needed

funds to support Alison Giblett’s Missionary Work

in Ukraine. Help is especially appreciated as the

conflict continues. A variety of books, reasonably

priced. Plus Missionary Box Opening 10am-12noon

for CMS, The Leprosy Mission and Children’s

Society. All welcome.

BEXHILL & ROTHER ENVIRONMENTAL

GROUPS TALK. Beulah Hall, Clifford Road, TN40

1QA. Wednesday 25 September, 7pm . “The

Circular Economy: put into practice” A talk and

demonstration by teacher Brock Prestney-Vaughan

from Robertsbridge Community College. Everyone

welcome, entry £2 for non-members. Email:

bexhilleg@yahoo.co.uk

COMPANIONSHIP CAFÉ. Home Instead Bexhill.

St Augustine’s Church Hall, St Augustine’s Close,

TN39 3AZ. Fourth Friday of every month, 10-

12pm. For the older members of our community,

especially those who struggle to get out.. Free but

booking is required — Caroline Aherne on 01424

401402 or caroline.aherne@homeinstead.co.uk

Autumnal Crafty Workshop. Mindful Oak Sussex

CIC. St Michael’s Church Hall, 20 Glassenbury

Drive, TN40 2NY. Thursday 24 October, 9.30-

12.30pm. A taster session of our Memory Moments

Café, including seasonal craft activities. An

opportunity for people with memory problems

to visit with a family member or carer to enjoy a

seasonal crafting session at our Memory Moments

Café. £3 — Booking is essential, contact: Samantha

Keylock — email: mindfuloaksussex@outlook.com

Phone: 07453 917399.

EASTBOURNE

BUSINESS LOCAL NETWORK FOR

ENTREPRENEURS. Hailsham & Eastbourne — all

10-12pm, £10 per person. Come and enjoy our

relaxed and natural atmosphere. At BLN, we pride

ourselves on providing a warm and relaxed vibe with

no awkward elevator pitches. Conversations flow

naturally, allowing business owners to speak freely

and engage in meaningful dialogue, brainstorm and

problem-solve. Hailsham: Abbots Wood Manor,

BN27 3AL, 17 Sept, 15 Oct — bit.ly/BLN_Hailsham.

Eastbourne: Willingdon Park Manor, BN22 0AB, 25

Sep, 23 Oct — bit.ly/BLN-Eastbourne.

EASTBOURNE BLIND SOCIETY QUIZ. Friday 20

September, 7-9:30pm. Thursday 3 October, 2-4pm.

Eastbourne Blind Society, 124-142 Longstone Road,

BN22 8DA. Join with friends and family for a quiz

and a chance to find out more about Eastbourne

Blind Society and the services we offer. £15 per

team (max of 6). Tea & coffee available or bring

your own refreshments. To book, contact Mark

Simmons, email: mark@eastbourneblindsociety.org

or phone: 01323 729511.

CELEBRATION OF OLDER PEOPLE’S DAY.

Eastbourne Seniors Forum. St Saviours Church

Hall, South Street, BN21 4UT. Thursday 3 October,

2-4.15pm. Allowing older people to socialise and get

together in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere and enjoy

an afternoon of magic, comedy and song with Marco

the Magician (Member of the Magic Circle) and

Stephen Dunnett (Rat Pack type Vocalist). Tea and

cake. £3 Booking essential, contact: Gill — email: gill.

morris518@btinternet.com, phone: 01323 722256.

EASTBOURNE FOCUS DIGITAL CAMERA CLUB.

The club are holding an exhibition on Saturday

28 & Sunday 29 September. This will be held in

Gather, inside Eastbourne Beacon from 10-4.

WILLINGDON COMMUNITY CAFE. Home

Instead — Eastbourne and Hailsham. Trinity

Church Hall, Coppice Avenue, BN20 9PN.

Thursday 26 September, 2pm to 4pm. Thursday

24 October, 2pm to 4pm. A free community

café with entertainment and activities for local

people. Free refreshments and activities. Everyone

welcome! Dementia Friendly. Free but booking is

essential. Contact: Phone: 01323 819191, website:

homeinstead.co.uk/eastbourne-hailsham

HAILSHAM

STEVE’S HMI POKER CLUB. Hailsham Memorial

Institute, Western Road, BN27 3DN. Now EVERY

Tuesday, 7.15pm-close. HMI Membership/day

rates apply; £2/day, full membership £38, renewal

£28. Join Steve’s WhatsApp Chat for more details:

https://bit.ly/HMI-Poker-Club.

HAILSHAM FM SING-A-LONG GREASE FILM

SCREENING at HAILSHAM PAVILION. George

Street, BN27 1AE. Sunday 8 September, 2pm.Join

Hailsham FM for this year’s sing-a-long. The classic

film with on-screen lyrics so EVERYONE can join in.

Fancy dress strongly encouraged and full audience

participation essential! Tickets £8 & £6 (Plus

Booking Fees).

u3a SINGING WORKSHOP. Hailsham Pavilion,

George Street, BN27 1AE.Friday 20 September,

10am. A one-day SINGING workshop. £15.00.

Suitable for all levels from complete beginner —

there is no requirement to be able to read music..

For more info and to book: https://hailshampavilion.

co.uk/events/u3a-singing-workshop/

WANT TO CONTINUE PLAYING BOWLS in the

winter or try Short Mat Bowls for the first time? If

so, come along to Hailsham Community Civic Hall

on Monday 16th September at 6.30pm & give it a

try. First 3 sessions for FREE! Contact Gary Wright

Membership Secretary on 07950 962353.

WOODLAND MOMENTS CAMPFIRE SINGALONG

& COOKOUT. Mindful Oak Sussex CIC. Bushy

Wood Activity Centre, BN27 3LZ. Monday 16

September, 10-12.30pm.An opportunity for people

with memory problems to come along with a family

member or carer to enjoy a woodland campfire

singalong and cookout surrounded by nature’s

autumnal delights. Connect with nature, enjoy

seasonal activities and meet new people. A warm

welcome awaits. £5 per person, contact Samantha

Keylock — email: mindfuloaksussex@outlook.com,

phone: 07453 917399.

To submit your listing for publication on this

page, visit: www.hailsham.news/communitynoticeboard

or scan this QR Code.

The publishers cannot be responsible for any errors or

omissions in this noticeboard.

Traditional

Pie, Mash

& Liquor

available here

The Bull Inn

To call, or reserve a table: 01424 424984

530 BEXHILL ROAD, ST LEONARDS ON SEA, TN38 8AY

www.bullstleonards.co.uk

Facebook: @bullinnstleonards

Sunday Folk Session - 1st September & 6th October from 5:30pm

Monday Charity Quiz - 2nd, 16th & 30th from 8:00pm

Rock ‘n Roll Bingo - Sunday 15th from 6:00pm

Live Events

Michael Mcenery (Solo Singer/Guitarist) - Friday 6th from 2:00pm*

Ritchie Campbell (UB40/Reggae Tribute) - Sunday 8th from 5:00pm*

Kitten Kaboodle (Acoustic Duo) - Saturday 14th from 3:00pm*

Ritchie Lee’s party night - Friday 27th from 8:00pm

The Other Band (Blues, Americana, R&B etc) - Saturday 28th at 3pm*

(events marked * will be held in our large beer garden, weather permitting)

Traditional freshly cooked ‘Pub Grub’ with many classic favourites,

HOMEMADE PIES are our speciality! We also serve Goddard’s traditional Pie, Mash

and Liquor. In addition, our traditional Sunday Roast is served every week. Enjoy

our secluded beer garden, we have a large car park at the rear and

we’re dog friendly too!


Library closure

as essential

improvement work

is carried out

BEXHILL Library will be

closing for a significant period

of time while renovations and

improvements are carried out to

modernise the popular facility in

Western Road.

At the same time, improvements

will be made to the layout of the

library including improving child

and adult numeracy and literacy and

increasing digital inclusion.

Enhancements will also be made

to book displays, seating areas, study

spaces, the children’s area and the

public computer layout.

From September, contractors will

begin work on the site to undertake

essential maintenance to the building.

This will include the replacement

and installation of new glazing,

repointing works to the external

façade as well a range of maintenance

to the internal fabric of the building.

These internal works include

fire safety compliance, damp

proof treatment, redecoration and

new carpeting.

Bexhill Library has recently been

fitted with 29 solar panels on the rear

flat roof to support energy costs, so

these works alongside new glazing,

will aim to achieve greater energy

efficiency within the building.

Work is due to commence on on

September 2 and due to the complex

nature of the project, the library will

need to close for a period of ten weeks

to enable safe management of the site

from the main contractor.

The programme is expected to be

completed on November 23, with

the library re-opening on Monday,

November 25.

At present the team are exploring

whether a “click and collect” service

could operate from a local building,

but this has not yet been confirmed.

Operational teams are working

with the Home Library Service,

Bexhill Care in the Community, as

well as other regular volunteers and

library users to notify them of the

planned closure.

The team will also assist customers

by encouraging individuals to take

more items, with a longer loan date to

support access to resources over the

closure period.

Additionally, the e-library will

continue to remain available online

throughout the whole period.

Councillor Ian Hollidge is delighted

the work has been given the green

light as it is an extremely popular

facility but one which desperately

needed updating.

He said: “I am extremely pleased

this excellent community resource

is being properly maintained

and improved for future

generations of readers and those

seeking information.”

CALLING ALL

FRUSTRATED DOG OWNERS

ARE YOU STRONG ENOUGH TO WALK YOUR PUPPY?

HAS YOUR CUTE BUNDLE OF FLUFF TURNED INTO A

TEENAGE TROUBLEMAKER WHO IGNORES AND

EMBARRASSES YOU?

ARE YOU CONFUSED, LACKING

CONFIDENCE AND RUNNING OUT OF

TIME TO FIX YOUR DELINQUENT PUP?

THEN SIGN UP NOW FOR MY ‘TAME

YOUR TEENAGE TROUBLEMAKER’

TRAINING FOUR WEEK CLASSES.

Mondays at 7:30pm (evening class). Held at Pebsham Community

Hub, or Friday’s held at St Stephen’s church 1pm (daytime class).

“I found Harriet very approachable, and she explained things clearly,

I feel more confident and in control. The training answered all my

concerns. Thank you for providing a fun filled 4 weeks of knowledge and

reassurance.” Lisa and River

There’s only 4 spaces in every class, so every owner gets the personalised

help they need. My classes are very popular, so you need to apply for a

space visit: pawtasticgundogadventures.co.uk/teen-classes/

or scan the QR Code below.

ESTABLISHED NEW FAMILY OWNERS

Exciting variety of all pet food and dog natural treats

Lots of new ranges of cat litter, toys and foods

Wild and domestic bird specialists

Fish Food for pond goldfish/

Koi or aquariums

See our fabulous new, Garden

and Plant Centre with Seeds,

Garden Tools, Plants and

Compost

FREE Delivery for £15 minimum

spend by your local friendly

driver or pop into your new

Warburtons store in Bexhill.

Call: 01424 211560

39 Station Rd, Bexhill-on-Sea TN40 1RG

email: warburtonspetcentre@gmail.com

www.maidstoneaquatics.co.uk

12 NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2024


Foxes on the run as work finally

recommences on Bolebrooke Road

WORK has finally restarted to

reopen Bolebrooke Road in Bexhill

after a group of badgers finally

decided to move onto pastures new

of their own volition.

The badgers had brought work to

a shuddering halt for several weeks

after setting up home by creating a

series of tunnels below the road’s

surface after initial work had

been done.

Much debate subsequently ensued

as how best to remove the animals

safely as they are a protected

species, but it then transpired

they had become bored with their

surroundings and, undercover of

the night, they moved on to God

knows where.

It was a Eureka moment for the

hard-pressed contractors, but not

for long because their place was

immediately taken over by a group

of foxes who took a liking to the

vacant premises.

For a short period of time, it

appeared there would be another

delay but fortuitously they were

spooked by the workmen and

also headed off in search of

After the badgers and foxes vacated, workmen sealed the burrows to continue the road repairs

new accommodation.

With the badgers gone and the

foxes too, it is now full steam ahead

in terms of repairing the road much

to the relief of Bexhill Conservative

Councillor Ian Hollidge.

He said: “First and foremost I want

to pay tribute to the contractors who

have been so patient as the work

was delayed due to the presence of

the badgers and then subsequently

the foxes.

“It has been a long and frustrating

process but it was paramount that

every precaution was taken to

ensure the safety and welfare of the

wild animals before work on the

road could resume.

“We are all aware that the delays

were frustrating for some residents

but it proved to be a tricky situation

which had to be dealt with in the

appropriate manner.

“Having gone through the correct

channels our patience has now been

rewarded and the repairs can be

carried out as swiftly as possible.

“I know some people have allegedly

voiced their frustration at the

workmen on site which is really

not on.

“They are carrying out the work in

a very professional manner and they

deserve praise for that, not verbal

abuse.”

Although no timescale has yet been

given for the completion of the work,

there are no further obstacle to

overcome and it is clear that repairs

are now in full swing.

The burrows have now been closed

off and the surface has been levelled

off prior to Tarmac being applied.

Once that has been completed, the

road will be reopened.

Councillor Hollidge added:

“Everyone is fully committed to

repairing roads across Bexhill and

we acknowledge there is still plenty

of work to be done.

“But a plan of action is in place

to repair our roads as swiftly as

possible. Yes, potholes are a major

issue, but slowly but surely, they are

being addressed.

“Bolebrooke Road has almost

been sorted out now and other road

repairs will follow. That is the most

important thing for residents.”

WHY WAIT?

Live safe and well in a unique studio, 1-bed or 2-bed apartment

or bungalow at the Hawthorns, a warm and friendly all-inclusive

rental retirement community for the over 70s.

“Since moving here, I have made new friends and found a new

and very rewarding life. The older you get, the harder everything

becomes - especially if you have no close family to hand. I am

so pleased that I made the move to the Hawthorns when I did.”

– the Hawthorns resident

01323 342552 | hawthornsretirement.co.uk

Call today to find out about our 28-day trial stay

4 Carew Road | Eastbourne | East Sussex | BN21 2BF

BRAND NEW VETERINARY PRACTICE

OPENS DOORS IN BEXHILL

A brand-new veterinary practice has

opened its doors in Bexhill, Little Common

area, offering comprehensive care for

companion animals.

The practice, opened by Andrei Danciu and

Istvan Makaresz is staffed by a dedicated team

of professionals and is equipped with state-ofthe-art

facilities and a commitment to

providing exceptional veterinary services.

At the heart of the practice is a team of three

experienced veterinarians, Andrei, Istvan and

Kirsteen, each with many years of clinical

practice under their belts.

Their expertise extends to a wide range of

companion animals, including dogs, cats, and

rabbits. To complement the veterinary team,

the practice employs two experienced

veterinary nurses and two friendly

receptionists.

Istvan and Andrei opened their first practice in

Newhaven together in 2020, which has gone

from strength to strength to become the

largest independent vets in the area.

They then decided to expand in Bexhill,

Andrei’s hometown for the last ten years,

after the closure of the previous Greenleaves

surgery site on Little Common Road.

The new practice is equipped with

modern facilities designed to meet the

highest standards of veterinary care. These

Telephone: 01424 322740

Email: admin@broadoakvets.co.uk Web: www.broadoakvets.co.uk

include a sterile theatre for surgical

procedures, a well-equipped dental suite for

routine dental care and advanced

procedures, an in-house laboratory for rapid

diagnostic testing, and a digital X-ray machine

for accurate imaging.

Whether it’s routine check-ups, vaccinations,

dental care, or surgical procedures, the new

veterinary practice in Bexhill is dedicated to

providing the highest quality care for

companion animals.

The team is committed to building strong

relationships with pet owners and ensuring

that their furry friends receive the best

possible treatment.

If you have an Emergency outside of these hours, please contact our Emergency Service provider on 01323 301292.

14 NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2024


The classic Mini

Record numbers

flock to annual

car spectacular

MORE than 500 stunning vehicles

from all eras and ages packed

into the Polegrove for the annual

Bexhill 100 Car Show last month.

Organisers have announced that

the event experienced its largest

numbers through the gates to

enjoy displays from motoring clubs

and privately owned cars from

throughout the country.

Bexhill Radio, Bexhill Lions and

‘The Other Band’ supplied the

entertainment during the day which

included a Fire Drill demonstration

from the Bexhill Fire Cadets.

Owners were on hand talking to

adults and children who were allowed

into the display cars which ranged

from vintage Minis, classic American

cars to top-of-the-range Aston Martins.

With over 60 trade stands and over

500 vehicles, organisers expect to

raise a huge amount for this year’s

chosen charities, which are the

Golden Marigold, Bexhill Fire Cadets,

Canine Partners and East Sussex

Young Carers.

During the morning, appointed

judges tried to remain inconspicuous

as they walked around the assembled

vehicles to choose which was to be the

winner in their particular category, the

final choices being:

Best Bexhill 100 Car — Winner:

John Busbridge — 1933 Riley 9 March

Special. Judged by Abul Azad

Best American Car — Winner:

Rachel Upton — 1960 Chevrolet

Corvette C1. Judged by Mark Hammett

Best Custom Car — Winner: Andy

Hogg — 1923 Ford Hot Rod Replica.

Judged by Chris and Heidi Speck

Best Commercial Vehicle —

Winner: Mike Hallett — 1968

Morris Royal Mail Van. Judged by

Andrew Terry.

Best Motor Cycle — Winner: Mick

Barton — 1949/1958 Norvin 1275cc.

Judged by Alan Timms

Best Classic Car — Winner: Adrian

Martin — 1934 Austin 7. Judged by

Mayor Cllr. Paul Wilson/Phil Hart

The trade stands enjoyed steady

custom through the day, including

the Bexhill 100’s own ‘Regalia Stand’

which in addition to its clothing range,

held a raffle and tombola to add to its

contribution to the club’s nominated

charities.

Bexhill 100 Chairman, Chris Speck,

said: “It was bit of a damp start to the

show with short sharp showers, but it

soon cleared up ahead of the official

opening by Bexhill & Battle MP Kieran

Mullen along with Bexhill Mayor, Paul

Henry Wilson.

Thank you to everyone who came

along and to all those who volunteered

to make this year yet another success.”

This magnificent Bentley was once owned by Sir

George Martin, also known as ‘The Fifth Beatle’

Classic Red Mini Cooper

Hundreds of petrolheads had a nice day out


This classic car has a little ‘mini me’ next to it

The classic MG

The Lotus

This Triumph Renown is name Ruby

This little fella was having a nice chillout day

16 NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2024


Vinyl junkies flock to the

De La Warr Pavilion to

get their annual fix

HUNDREDS of vinyl fans flocked

to the De La Warr Pavilion on

Saturday, August 17, to seek out

bargains and rarities to boost their

record collections.

The event, which has been firmly

established for a number of years,

continues to grow in popularity thanks

to the explosion of interest

in record collecting among both young

and the more mature enthusiasts.

Make no mistake, record collecting

can be an expensive business these

days, and the chances of finding

bargains at your local charity shop are

long gone.

Hence the reason why record fairs

have become so popular in recent

years because they cater for all tastes

and budgets.

There are certain albums that will

always command premium prices.

For instance, there was a first pressing

of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon

complete with its original poster and

stickers priced at an eye-watering

£800 but then again, where are you

going to find another one in such

pristine condition?

Organised by Revolver Record Fairs,

the De La Warr event once again

proved to be a roaring success with

dealers vying for customers’ attention

as they attempted to sell their wares.

The biggest conundrum for those

packed into the auditorium was where

to start your search.

There were thousands of records to

peruse across numerous stalls, but

one had to be equally conscious of

budgetary constraints.

In a nutshell, it is easy to get carried

away only to find that for the rest of the

month, you are going to have to live

solely on soup.

One thing was patently clear though.

The vinyl revival continues apace with

no sign of it abating despite it being an

expensive hobby.

My partner and I were on the lookout

for one particular album, namely

a vinyl copy of the increasingly

rare Let It Be Naked album by The

Beatles which was released in limited

numbers just over a decade ago. We

had even failed to find a copy of it

during a recent holiday in Spain.

It retails for about £200, but

fortunately, there was no sign of a

copy. At least that meant we could eat

for the rest of the month.

THE

CARPET SHOP

FRIENDLY, AFFORDABLE

& PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

365 NIGHT SLEEP TRIAL

WITH 20% OFF

Prices start from £249 l Free / Quick Delivery

Made in the UK l Carbon neutral

Award winning mattresses

365 Night sleep trial l Forever warranty

LONG ESTABLISHED COMPANY

PROFESSIONAL FITTING

FRIENDLY SERVICE

VINYLS, LAMINATES, RUGS

& LVT FLOORING

OPEN MONDAY-FRIDAY 9AM-5PM (CLOSED WEDNESDAYS)

SATURDAY 9AM-MIDDAY

CALL 01424 218337

41 NINFIELD RD, SIDLEY,

BEXHILL-ON-SEA TN39 5AE

THE LONGEST HOME TRIAL

YOU CAN GET

You have 365 nights, a year and a day, to get

to know, and love, your mattress. So take

your time, there’s no rush to decide.

Sleep on your Nectar for a whole year, on

those sticky summer nights and chilly winter

ones. If it’s not right for you, we’ll pick it up

for free and refund your money.

FOREVER WARRANTY

YES, FOREVER!

While the best our competitors offer is 10

years, if something is faulty with your

mattress, we’ll repair or replace it, for as

long as you own it. Your Nectar is

built to last.

Nectar Sleep Centre

C/o Fludes Carpets, 7 Marshall Roundabout,

Lottbridge Drove, Eastbourne BN23 6QU

Mobile: 07551 618001 Email: nectarsleep@b5global.com

Latest local news, visit: eastsussex.news/bexhill SEPTEMBER 2024 REGULARS 17

A MATTER OF TASTE

We send anonymous members of the team to check out local pubs, cafes and restaurants to give you an honest review.

These visits are not pre-arranged, and the venues do not know they are reviewing the food and drink!

MR HAU’S: A CHINESE FOOD GEM

SOMETIMES returning to a favourite

restaurant after a long period of absence

due to circumstances beyond your control

can prove to be a major disappointment,

but that was certainly not the case when

my partner and I made a long-awaited

return to Mr Hau’s Chinese restaurant.

The popular eatery in Terminus

Road, Eastbourne, has changed little in

appearance since our last visit more than

five years ago.

Back then, prior to the Covid pandemic,

we enjoyed a lavish array of dishes and

agreed unanimously that the food was

absolutely outstanding.

Both of us are big fans of Chinese cuisine,

and upon arrival this time,

on the face of it, little had changed

aside from temporary scaffolding outside,

which partially obscured the exterior.

Upon entering, however, the welcome

was as warm as ever. We perused the

menus and ordered drinks while pondering

what to order from a mind-boggling array

of dishes. Talk about being spoilt for

choice!

There was much deliberation between us

but the joy of a visit to Mr Hau’s is that you

are not pressured into making a choice of

what to eat quickly.

That to us is a major plus as we like to

settle in at leisure and have a drink first

before settling on what to eat.

The decor was, as we remembered it,

largely unchanged, which suited us just

fine. All the tables were spotless and

neatly laid out, while the waitress was

attentive without being intrusive.

We had decided beforehand that we

were hungry without being starving and

therefore opted for just one course each.

But what to choose?

LEARN GOLF WITH

PROFESSIONAL TUITION

GOLF LESSONS

Fully Qualified Coach, Using swing analysis software

GOLF SIMULATOR HIRE

170,000 golf courses worldwide

CLUB FITTING AND CLUB BUILDING

Fully Qualified Fitter and Builder

CLUB REPAIRS AND RE GRIPPING

GOLF SHOP

Stocking Major brands such as, Srixon, Cleveland,

Wilson, Lynx, Wishon, Vega and Golf Pride

GIFT VOUCHERS AVAILABLE

Golf lessons prices start from £40.00 per hour with

discounts on 3 or more Lessons

Golf simulator hire starts at £10 per hour, Friendly

atmosphere everyone welcome.

Check our website at:

danielleegolfcoachingandshop.co.uk

Call: 01424 277924 or 07528 781524

Facebook: danielleegolfcoachingandshop Insta @danielleegolfcoachingandshop

Unit 1, Middlesex Road, Bexhill, TN40 1LP

One major drawback for me is that

when it comes to using chopsticks I am a

complete novice so I was delighted that

a knife and fork were available whereas

my partner is a dab hand with them and

happily asked if a set could be provided,

which they immediately were. Talk about

me being made to feel inadequate!

As my partner rarely drinks alcohol,

she had opted for an ice-cold Coca-Cola

whereas I predictably opted for a large

glass of chilled dry white wine.

Our food choices were finally made with

my partner choosing the crispy noodles

with mixed meat accompanied while I

finally elected to go for the duck with

Chinese mushroom accompanied by a

bowl of egg fried rice.

We didn’t have too long for our dishes

to arrive which is always a bonus and

before tasting our meals we both agreed

the aroma alone was enough to get our

tastebuds tingling.

Both dishes arrived at our table piping

hot and my partner’s chopsticks were a

blur as she tucked in to her noodles which

she said, between mouthfuls, were among

the best she had ever tasted. The mixed

meat also went down an absolute treat.

As a big fan of duck, I could only concur

with her assessment that the food was

indeed absolutely sensational as I tucked

into the duck, augmented with a generous

portion of the egg fried rice.

Tummies full, we both agreed that

neither of us could eat another morsel but I

decided another glass of wine would finish

off our visit to Mr Hau’s perfectly.

Even though we had both finished our

meals, we were left in peace to chat and

relax before leaving, which is always a

major bonus.

Many over 55s are now

funding their retirement

with tax-free cash from

their home

We both agreed that Mr Hau’s has

retained its exemplary standards and the

food remains amongst the best money

can buy in East Sussex and is extremely

competitively priced considering how

fantastic it is.

After a nearly 90-minute stay, we

both needed to use “the facilities.” Yours

truly did, however, learn one valuable

lesson while descending the somewhat

tricky stairs: “ Don’t be distracted on the

way down.”

On the wall are several signed pictures

of celebrities who have visited Mr Hau’s

over the years, including one of Sir

Paul McCartney.

Being a massive Beatles fan, that

immediately caught my attention to such

an extent that I missed my next step and

nearly fell flat on my face. That, though,

was my fault entirely.

One thing is for sure. To borrow

unashamedly from a Beatles song, we

will undoubtedly be back before I turn 64

next year.

If you love Chinese food as we both do,

then Mr Hau’s is just about as good as it

gets. And that is high praise indeed which

is fully deserved.

Mr Hau’s Oriental Express

www.mrhau.co.uk • Tel: 01323 402 860

213 Terminus Road, Eastbourne,

BN21 3DH. Open: Tuesday-Saturday,

12-2.30pm, 4pm-9.30pm; Sunday

12-2.30pm, 4pm-9pm. Closed Mondays.

3Optional monthly repayments 3 No negative equity guarantee

3 Tax-free cash lump sum 3 Remain in your own home

3Must be a homeowner to qualify

FCA number: 1001782

Equity release: This is a lifetime mortgage. To understand the features and risks,

please ask for a personalised illustration. Check that this mortgage will meet your

needs if you want to move or sell your home or you want your family to inherit it. If

you are in any doubt, seek independent advice.

Our typical advice fee would be £1,495 on completion.

Free initial consultation

For qualified and impartial advice, call us on

07710 494423

e: tracy@rher.co.uk | w: tracyellisfuller.co.uk

‘Lending Options for Life’ is a trading style of RightHomes Equity Release Ltd, who are an appointed representative of the Right Mortgage Ltd,

who are authorised & regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England & Wales No. 1478744.

18 REGULARS

SEPTEMBER 2024


KNOW YOUR GARDEN

By Emma Reece, Head Gardener at Bates Green Garden

BATES Green Garden, an RHS Partner Garden, is open every

Wednesday between the end of February and late October.

For details, please go to the website www.batesgreengarden.co.uk

and follow the garden on Instagram @batesgreengarden

‘Don’t forget to drink water and get sunlight. You are basically a house plant with more complicated emotions’ (Unknown)

In late summer I am always soothed by

the sight and sound of water in a garden.

Foliage can look weary by this time, but

water freshens all the senses no end.

There are now so many exciting and

sustainable ways you can introduce

water as a feature in your garden. (I do

wonder if Charlie Dimmock, when she

featured in that iconic show, Ground

Force, is responsible for the term

‘water feature’.)

Water has always featured in gardens

from long ago and was seen as a sacred

and precious element in an outdoor space

both for functional and aesthetic reasons.

In hot climates, such as Egypt, water

cooled the air and provided vital irrigation

in their ancient gardens.

I was fortunate to visit the Majorelle

Garden in Marrakesh a few years ago and

was struck by their use of water which is

very reminiscent of Islamic Gardens. There

is a system of rills and large tanks which

is so effective and cooling and these also

provide visual movement which contrasts

effectively with the planting scheme. Rills

are considered to be an abstract form of

a natural stream and are still a source of

inspiration to us today.

The first importance to consider is

safety-if children or pets are to be using

the space then your feature must be

adapted to protect them, be it a raised

container rather than one at ground level,

a water sculpture with just a fine film of

water or a metal grid placed just beneath

the water’s surface.

Secondly, how much maintenance are

you prepared to put into your feature?

There is nothing worse than murky,

stagnant water or a pond clogged up with

blanket weed and so this possibility must

be addressed. Submerged oxygenators

help to keep pond water sparkling, but

smaller features will need to be hosed

down and the water replaced regularly,

especially if they are visited by birds. Do

remember that the smaller the container,

the more rapidly it heats up in the

sunshine and the more difficult it is to

create a balanced ecosystem.

Sustainability is of prime importance.

Do consider the source of your water

and try to recycle if you can. Any type

of pool can be fed and topped up with

harvested rainwater.

Now, to the type of feature. You do not

need a huge amount of space; there are

now tiny bowls fitted with solar-powered

fountains that will fit on a doorstep. The

birds and bees will appreciate this. At

home, we have a plain stone bowl outside

our window, which we top up daily. It is

quite incredible to see how many birds

use it.

Small bubble fountains erupting over

pebbles are charming and, again can be

solar-powered. Simplicity is all, in my

opinion.

Water tanks and bowls can be placed

on a terrace or within a planting scheme

for a dynamic effect. They work well in

a gravel garden. Allow easy access for

maintenance.

Consider the surface of the water too.

Still, waters will allow the shape and

textures of nearby trees or a big sky

to be reflected down into your garden.

Still, water is also a beautiful surface on

which to see raindrops fall — an important

consideration in Britain!

The addition of a rippling or bubbling

fountain can add much-needed

movement to a small space — do check

first that the sound doesn’t send you all

rushing for the loo every ten minutes.

Choose a style that will complement the

rest of your garden. Here at Bates Green

Garden, we are in a rural setting with a

naturalistic style. We garden for Nature

and wildlife and so our Wildlife Pond is

perfect. We have oxygenating plants

which are wholly or partly underwater.

They have submerged leaves and

perform several important roles in

the pond. During the day, they absorb

carbon dioxide from the water and give

off oxygen. This process conditions and

cleans the pond water without the need

for chemicals or intervention.

There is a huge Caltha palustris (marsh

marigold) at one end of the pond. I was

given this when I worked at the Chelsea

Physic Garden, and what a delightful,

cheering plant it is. It gets going really

early in the season with huge gorgeous

yellow buttercup-like flowers. The

sprawling enthusiastic foliage provides

an excellent shelter for all manner of

creatures, and moorhens particularly like

to nest here. Another useful and beautiful

habitat plant is Potentilla palustris (spot

the theme, palustris means ‘inhabiting

bogs and marshes), which is an attractive

native marginal with lobed leaves and

deep red star-shaped flowers.

Rills, troughs, tanks, basins and ponds.

The choice is yours.

ALL MAKES AND MODELS OF

CARS AND COMMERCIALS

REPAIRS AND SERVICING AT

COMPETITIVE PRICES

Tyre Services

Air conditioning and

servicing

Car Maintenance

Brake Repair and Services

Gearbox service

and repairs

Engine Services

Vehicle Recovery

Tyres and Wheels

Exhaust System

Courtesy car available

on request

WE NOW STOCK A RANGE

OF TYRES FOR A WHILE

YOU WAIT SERVICE

01323 573016

Find us on Facebook

FINMERE ROAD

EASTBOURNE

BN22 8QL

Located behind Big Tesco

Latest local news, visit: eastsussex.news/bexhill SEPTEMBER 2024 REGULARS 19

PUZZLES

SPONSORED BY

WORDSEARCH – THE PARK

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

Playground

Swing

Slide

Trees

Grass

Picnic

Walk

Dog

Bench

Nature

ANSWERS

ACROSS

6 Prickly seed vessel (4)

7 Accentuated (8)

9 He, she and it (8)

10 National wealth letters (1,1,1)

11 Socially ill at ease (4-9)

14 Where races commence (8,5)

17 Enemy (3)

18 In mourning (8)

19 Ballistic weapons (8)

20 Young cow (4)

DOWN

1 Body fuel (8)

2 Voltage changers (12)

3 Mock (6)

4 Hard outer layers (6)

5 Rope fibre (4)

8 Import (12)

12 Woman of habit (3)

13 In an inconsistent way (8)

15 Way to buy cheaply (2,4)

16 Showy (6)

1 7 Free from bias (4)

A D V E R T I S E R P R O M O T I O N

MOBILITY SPECIALISTS IN

THE CENTRE OF BEXHILL

Active Days Mobility offers the sales, service and

repair of most mobility aids. It is an authorised

distributor for almost every manufacturer in the

mobility industry.

With over 15 years experience, you are in safe

hands as Active Days Mobility aims to provide a

personal service, spending time with the customer

to make sure they get the correct products.

If the product is in the shop, you can take it away,

no need to order it and wait. Engineers can visit

your home to carry out repairs and servicing as the

company offers a free collection/ delivery service.

We are authorised by the FCA to sell mobility aid

insurance and can carry out repairs on behalf of

insurance companies.

We also sell riser recliner chairs and profiling beds

from a wide range of suppliers. We stock a wide

range of new and pre-owned mobility aids from

walking sticks to mobility scooters and wheelchairs

at our shop.

Visit us today at 43 Western Road, Bexhill,

TN40 1DT. You can call us on 01424 532620.

We also have a shop at 6 Winston Crescent,

Eastbourne, BN23 6NL.

Active Days Mobility stock a

wide range of new and used

mobility aids from walking

sticks to mobility scooters and

riser recliner chairs. We also

service and repair most

mobility aids. Pop in for a

friendly no obligation chat or

advice.

Active Days

MOBILITY SERVICES

WE COVER BEXHILL, EASTBOURNE, HASTINGS

AND SURROUNDING AREAS

We are authorised by the leading manufacturers to sell,

service and repair mobility aids. We are fully qualified

and trained by the manufacturers in their products.

With over 15 years experience you know you’re in safe

hands. We are Quantum Rehab dealers offering

bespoke powered wheelchairs and specialist

seating options

We are open at:

43 Western Road Bexhill. TN40 1DT

Tel: 01424 532620

6 Winston Crescent, Eastbourne BN23 6NL

Tel: 01323 301101

WWW.ACTIVEDAYSMOBILITY.CO.UK

20 ADVERTORIAL

SEPTEMBER 2024


BEXHILL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND TOURISM UPDATE

CHAMBER ECHOES

WHERE’S “THE FULL FORCE

OF THE LAW” IN BEXHILL?

IT is with great sadness that we

find ourselves demanding that

our politicians take action against

the toxic criminality that is

plaguing Bexhill.

Everyone now knows that when

there is political motivation, our

government can summon up the

“full force of the law” to deal with

whizzed-up football hooligans rioting

across the country in search of an

immigration policy.

The Government has shown that

civil disorder is intolerable. The

hard-working Police have shown how

under-resourced they are to deal with

anything other than the biggest of

political situations.

However, our Police and Crime

Commissioner and local councillors

must now get a grip on the vicious

crime wave that is eating away at the

heart of Bexhill.

Empty shops, rogue gangs,

vandalism, drug dealing and blatant

looting are turning our town centre

into a no-go zone for investment and

the local community. This is the dark

underbelly of genteel Bexhill that no

one seems to care about.

According to Sussex Police, in

2023, Bexhill had the second highest

reported crime rate in Sussex with 95

crimes per 1000 head of population

which is 13% higher than the Sussex

average. That makes us second only

to Hastings.

In June 2024 alone there were 91

crimes reported in Bexhill Central

ward. Most worryingly 29 of those

were for violence and sexual assault.

Add to that, sixteen reported assaults

and sexual offences in Sidley along

with nearly a hundred reports of

anti-social behaviour, public order

offences, shoplifting and other

crimes across Bexhill over the same

period. You can perhaps see why we

could quickly become a crime-ridden

shanty town.

Of course, statistics only reflect

reported crimes. They do not

show how people have given up on

reporting crime because of the lack of

a proper response. Who cares about

the people harassed by drug dealers

around the station or in the alleys off

Western Road?

What about the fear felt by shop

assistants as they go to work every

day knowing they will face aggressive

looters who brazenly walk into

shops and walk out with hundreds of

pounds worth of goods?

Who cares for the accountants

who were mugged in their offices

and now have to work behind locked

doors? Where is the sympathy for

waiting staff that have had violent

confrontations with entire families

who eat lavish meals and then just

abusively push their way out of

restaurants without paying?

While the national chains can

afford their hundreds of thousands of

pounds in “shrinkage” per year and

instruct their security guards not to

intervene that merely encourages the

criminals and thugs to treat Bexhill as

a soft target.

In April, the last Government

promised action on the plague of

blatant shoplifting, so what are our

local politicians going to do about it?

Tell us now how Bexhill will benefit

from “the full force of law” before it

is too late and we are abandoned to

the mercies of the looters, vandals,

organised gangs and drug dealers.

What do you think? Email us at:

letters@bexhill.news.

OPINION with Kim Mayo

DON’T ACCEPT THE PAIN OF LIVING IN

MODERN-DAY BRITAIN — JUST HEAD TO SPAIN

WHEN you finally accept with

resignation that you are closer to the

grave than the cradle it pays to adopt

a more sanguine approach to life. In

essence, what will be will be.

Let’s face it: calling the small island

we inhabit Great Britain is, to all intents

and purposes, a misnomer. Yet we

live in Britain but it sure as hell is

not great.

At this juncture, it should be pointed

out that this malaise has nothing to

do with party politics. Rather, it is the

fact that the country is in absolute

meltdown because those who have

governed over the past decade and their

recent replacements spend so much

time bickering across the dispatch box

in the House of Commons that they

fail to realise all they achieve is posing

more questions than definitive and

effective solutions.

The cost of living continues to spiral,

crime is at a record high, our prisons are

bursting at the seams, and nobody dares

mention the small boats crisis for fear of

being branded a racist.

This is why so many of us go into

“ostrich mode” … burying our heads in

the sand and pretending all is hunky

dory, which it most certainly is not.

Plaza de Espana, Seville. Photo: Sean Pavone, envato

I discussed this with my partner, who

summed up the state of play perfectly

by saying: Britain is doomed”. By and

large that assessment is spot on, sadly.

Don’t get me wrong; I love my country

but for what it was, not what it has

become, which is a shambolic mess.

Hence, we decided to get out of town

and out of the country for a short break

to discover how the other half lives. And

you know what? They have got it right,

and we have got it fundamentally wrong.

First, we walked into Bexhill, a trip that

took twice as long as it should have due

to having to avoid the piles of dog mess

that the owners had decided it was too

much of an effort to clear up after their

miscreant mutts.

To make matters worse, I nearly

broke my ankle, tripping over one of

several uneven paving stones before

somehow arriving in one piece at the

local travel agents to pick up an array

of brochures.

Having perused them at length we

set off the next day by car to book our

four-day break to Seville in Spain but

this time drove into town at a steady

12 miles an hour to avoid breaking an

axle on one of the myriad potholes

populating our streets.

And so it came to pass that we boarded

an EasyJet flight from Gatwick after

being frisked by some miserable old

git at the airport and then told our

suitcase was three centimetres too large.

Hopefully, nirvana awaited, and you

know what? It did.

The average temperature during our

stay was 35ºC, and if that is due to

global warming, then bring it on.

Every Spanish person we met was

friendly, and despite the language

barrier, they were more than happy to

help. The streets were clean, and hiring a

taxi to get around the city was as cheap

as chips.

The average price of a meal for both

of us was €12, a class of wine (large) €4

and a packet of fags €5.50.

Before the anti-smoking brigade has a

go, let me point out I have been addicted

to nicotine since I was 14, but my

favourite brand (Camel Blue) cost £17

in the UK, so I filled my boots (or rather

lungs), and they tasted great.

To put it bluntly, four days was never

going to be enough. I wanted to live

there forever, and if I had enough cash in

the bank, I would.

Sadly, though, all good things must

come to an end, and the time passed

far too swiftly. Home time beckoned,

and our hearts collectively sank as we

boarded the flight back to Blighty.

Now don’t get me wrong, there is still

much to admire about our way of life but

let me tell you this; a day’s interspersed

with a siesta, sangria and Tapas

definitely appeals.

Maybe my boss’s media empire will

one day expand as far as Spain and I

can then launch an edition of Seville

News. Now there’s a thought although

I will need to brush up on my Spanish!

Viva España!

22 REGULARS

SEPTEMBER 2024


SOARING HIGH: MY MICROLIGHT ADVENTURES

GROUP EDITOR, PAUL GIBSON,

REPORTS ON HIS ONGOING TRAINING

AS A STUDENT PILOT FLYING FROM

DEANLAND IN EAST SUSSEX

THANKS to the incredible weather

conditions we’ve been experiencing

for the past month, it’s given me a

good opportunity to get some hours in

behind the stick in the fantastic Ikarus

C42 Microlight.

In my article last month, I wrote how

I was thrown in the deep end (in my

opinion anyway) and completed my first

take-off. I knew from that moment that I

would be doing each and every take-off

from now on — which has certainly been

the case.

It’s now standard practice to

automatically start my checks as soon as

we get to the aircraft which include a full

safety walkaround (if the first flight of the

day), refuelling and completing the long

list of pre-flight checks in the cockpit.

So, we’ve got to the point where

my instructor, Luke, only touches the

controls just after take-off, and I’m doing

the rest, which I feel is a long way than I

expected to be at this early stage. I’m not

going to lie and say it’s an easy process,

but I do understand that it’ll get easier

with time as it’s simply a process — and

with any process, it should get easier the

more it’s done.

When we live in such a stunning part of

the world, it’s sometimes disappointing

when I can’t sit back and enjoy the

panoramic views across the coastline

- but I’m here to learn how to fly and

every hour in the air is 100% learning.

The club’s two Ikarus C42’s ready to go in the early sun

The pleasure flights will come when I

hopefully get licensed!

Last month, I trained in the best rate

of climb, and best glide speed - although

basic principles of flying, it’s essential

to know the aircraft’s capabilities

and how to get the best from it in

different scenarios.

Next lesson concentrated on turns in

level flight. Sounds really easy but when

a plane turns, it creates drag therefore

creating a slip. So this must be controlled

to ensure the plane doesn’t descend in

the turn. This was a lesson where I was

introduced to another stage of flying —

entering the circuit prior to landing.

Deanland is a really special place to fly

from. It’s relaxed, informal and there’s a

huge amount of lovely people who own

planes and fly from there regularly. As

a member, it’s nice just to pop down,

soak up the peaceful atmosphere and

chat to some of the other students

and instructors.

This month sees its annual ‘fly-in’

fundraiser, which supports the Kent,

Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance Charity.

It’s a day where pilots from all over

literally descend on Deanland, and it

makes for a great day out for plane

geeks like me. If the weather is good,

I’m sure I’ll publish some photos in next

month’s column.

Now is a really good time to book

your experience flight from Deanland

before the winter sets in. Just give

Shellie a ring on 07519 527597 and

mention ‘Newspaper Ad’ and she’ll give

you a generous £10 discount off. We

seriously have some incredible scenery

which must be seen from above — and

it’s also a fantastic gift for a loved one.

If you’re anything like me, it’ll also give

you the bug to fly even more.

ON YOUR BIKE with Ian Hollidge

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE AN

OLYMPIAN TO ENJOY CYCLING

Cycling, in every day normal commuting

or elite sports, takes effort and we should

enjoy the pleasure of getting out on

our bikes.

We can’t all be gold medal cyclists like

Chris Boardman, Victoria Pendleton or

Thomas Pidcock, but we can imagine for

a moment.

For many they continue to coach

and inspire the next generation with

motivational talks.

This year Team GB achieved 11 medals

in cycling events, more than athletics,

equestrian, or rowing. We are good as

a country at sitting down pedalling and

pushing ourselves on two wheels.

Anybody can join in the fun of

cycling, bikes can be adapted to suit

different abilities.

Whether it’s on the track or the road,

two wheels or three, para cycling offers

something for everyone who wants to get

on a bike.

It starts with getting a bike, sitting in

the saddle and pushing off embracing our

beautiful coast and countryside of which

we are blessed in Sussex.

The 2024 Paralympics got underway

and one can only admire people who are

showing their ability to do their best while

dealing with something which would hold

others back.

Cycling takes many forms and you

may not want to be speeding around the

velodrome at 40-50 mph. Life is about

what you are able to do.

Most fit and able cyclists could achieve

30mph at a push, even on our Sussex

roads. Most of us however are content

with about 10-15mph.

You may not be able to be the best

but we can all try our personal best,

which is true whatever you do

in life.

Break dancing is something which

appeared in this year’s Olympics, quite

a breakthrough, what next is another

subject. Next month we will be focusing

on how to buy the perfect bike.

In the meantime, get out there on your

bike before winter is sadly upon us.

Former Olympic gold medalist Chris Boardman (right)

YOU don’t have to be an Olympian to

enjoy cycling. If you are looking at being

in the next Games however now’s a good

time to start training by getting on your

bike. Even if you are not selected you

could still have lots of fun dreaming as

you cycle along the way.

August’s Olympics were a fantastic

time to watch our elite athletes perform,

competing and trying their best for

themselves and Team GB.

The excitement in Olympians wining

gold meaning they have beaten the best in

the word and sharing in their joy gives us

all a sense of pride.

Competition cycling is not for everyone.

You may not be able to beat the best but

we can all try our personal best.

Get on your bike and enjoy the warm weather before winter arrives

Latest local news, visit: eastsussex.news/bexhill SEPTEMBER 2024 ADVERTORIAL 23

BEXHILL-ON-SEA TOWN

COUNCIL UPDATE

BEXHILL-ON-SEA TOWN COUNCIL HOSTS

LARGEST BEXHILL DAY CELEBRATION YET

THE month of August has been a

whirlwind of activity for Bexhillon-Sea

Town Council, culminating

in the much-anticipated annual

celebration of Bexhill Day. This

year, on 17th August, the town

came alive in a spectacular display

of community spirit, pride, and

excitement, as residents and

visitors gathered to partake in

what has become the largest

and most vibrant Bexhill Day in

the event’s history. Town Crier,

Jon Bartholomew, kicked off

the proceedings.

The introduction of a brand-new

Health and Wellbeing Marketplace

was one of the standout additions this

year. With stalls extending all along

East Parade, the marketplace was a

hub of activity throughout the day,

offering a diverse array of services

and information from local groups

dedicated to promoting health,

wellness, and personal growth within

the community.

Visitors to the marketplace were

treated to an array of opportunities

to engage with local clubs, fitness

instructors, wellness experts, and

hobby groups, all eager to share their

passions and encourage residents

to explore new interests. From

Groove Bexhill’s amazing dancing

“flash mob” to Bexhill Wheelers

bicycle servicing to Bexhill Bowls

Club’s temporary bowling green

there was something for everyone.

With nutrition workshops to craft

activities and mindfulness sessions,

the marketplace truly showed off our

town’s vibrant community.

Complementing the marketplace

was a stunning display of classic cars,

presented by the Bexhill 100 Motoring

Club. This dazzling showcase featured

a wide range of beautifully maintained

vintage vehicles including Dave

Dickinson-Smith’s (Dickie) original

Bexhill born and bred Mini, each one a

testament to the rich motoring heritage

of Bexhill-on-Sea. The classic cars,

which gleamed under the summer

sun, were a particular highlight for car

enthusiasts and history buffs alike. The

display also drew a significant crowd,

adding to the diverse attractions on

offer and further elevating the prestige

of Bexhill Day 2024.

Music was another integral part of

the celebrations, with the Coronation

Bandstand serving as the heart of the

event’s musical offerings. Managed by

Bexhill Heritage, the bandstand played

host to a variety of performances by

talented local artists, whose music

filled the air and created a lively,

festive atmosphere. The Royal British

Legion Concert Band performed afolk

bands to solo performers, the diverse

lineup ensured there was something

to suit every musical taste, and the

energy from the bandstand radiated

throughout the event. Attendees

couldn’t help but be swept up in the

joyous spirit of the day, with many

dancing, singing along, or simply

enjoying the vibrant sounds as they

explored the various attractions.

As the day progressed, one of the

most poignant moments came with

the procession along the promenade.

This solemn and respectful event

featured the Royal British Legion

Standard Bearers and veterans from

Bexhill-on-Sea’s branches, along with

the Town Mayor, Mace Bearer and

Mayoral Cadet who marched with

pride and dignity in honour of those

who have served the country.

The procession was more than

just a display; it was an emotional

reminder of the sacrifices made by

so many, and it served to connect the

past with the present, highlighting

the importance of remembrance and

community solidarity. For many, this

was a highlight of the day, reinforcing

the strong sense of identity and shared

history that defines Bexhill-on-Sea.

As the festivities of this remarkable

day began to settle, residents and

visitors alike were treated to a truly

breathtaking spectacle—a fly-past by

the iconic Battle of Britain Memorial

Flight Lancaster Bomber. The aircraft,

a symbol of British resilience and

heroism, soared majestically across

the seafront, its presence evoking awe

and pride in all who watched. The

roar of its engines echoed through the

air, marking a powerful and fitting

conclusion to the official Bexhill

Day celebrations.

As the evening set in, many attendees

made their way to the De La Warr

Pavilion lawns for a community

gathering to watch a free outdoor

screening of the beloved family

film Toy Story Two. The screening

provided a perfect way to wind down

after the day’s excitement, with

families spreading out on blankets

and enjoying the classic film under the

stars. Laughter and cheers from the

Bexhill-on-Sea Town COUNCIL

35 Western Road, Bexhill-on-Sea TN40 1DU

Open: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 10am-12pm, and 12:30pm-2:30pm

Contact: town.clerk@bexhilltowncouncil.gov.uk • www.bexhilltowncouncil.gov.uk

audience filled the night air, bringing

the community together for one last

shared experience and ending the day

on a heartwarming note.

Overall, Bexhill Day 2024 was an

unparalleled success. The event saw

a huge turnout, with residents and

visitors coming together to celebrate

the unique character and spirit of

Bexhill-on-Sea. The Town Council’s

efforts to introduce new elements

to the event clearly paid off, with the

Health and Wellbeing Marketplace

and the classic car showcase proving

to be major draws. The combination

of new and traditional attractions,

coupled with the community’s

enthusiastic participation, ensured

that this year’s Bexhill Day will be

remembered as one of the best in the

event’s history.

In addition to the Bexhill Day

celebrations, the Mayor of Bexhillon-Sea

has been actively engaged

throughout August, attending a variety

of local events, including Bexhill

Carnival, Southlands Place Summer

Fete, the first spade in the ground at

the Beach Garden and Bexhill open

bowls tournament The Mayor’s

presence at these events underscores

the Town Council’s commitment to

supporting and participating in the life

of the community. If you would like

the Mayor to attend your upcoming

event, please visit the Bexhill-on-Sea

Town Council website to fill out a

mayoral visit form.

Lastly, in other important

town matters, the Planning and

Development Committee convened

for an extraordinary meeting on

Friday, 9th August 2024, to discuss the

appeal for the Bellway Development

on Turkey Road. The meeting saw

a strong turnout from residents

eager to voice their opinions on the

proposed development next toe the

Brick Works. The chair of the Planning

and Development Committee, Cllr

Connor Winter, had been nominated

to attend the appeal hearing, where he

represented the views and concerns

of Bexhill-on-Sea’s residents, ensuring

that their voices were heard at the

highest levels.

24 REGULARS

SEPTEMBER 2024


LAURIE’S POEM CORNER

If we consider world news over the last months with wars, strife and conflicts

abounding and, even very recently, riots and unrest on our own streets here in the

UK, we could all be forgiven for wondering just what is going on and where it will

it all end.

However, life and the world go on, somehow, even in the most tragic and

impoverished parts of the globe, so perhaps we should count our blessings and

reflect on times past.

To this end, I offer a poem this month that I wrote, almost unbelievably, in about 2017 and featured

in my 6th book, “Poet Reveals All” (yes, the naked cover book), and this poem offers hope, confidence

and peace as it looks back over history, what has been endured, and where we are now and is entitled

“Don’t Write it Off” appeals for hope and consideration.

I suppose I now have a mission

With my written thoughts in verse,

For as I scan the worldwide scene

I fear it’s all getting worse.

DON’T WRITE IT OFF

At a state of chilling acceptance

Of just what harm man can do.

But now it seems we must again

Test out if it’s all true!

PATIENT, LADY

PIANO TEACHER

BASED IN HAILSHAM

32 years teaching experience

Beginners to Advanced

Children and Adults welcome

DBS Certificate

Learn as a hobby or work

towards graded exams

I offer a free 30 minute trial

lesson

A 30 minute lesson costs £18

Call Sue on

07877 282643

For it seems there are wars everywhere

With the world once more on the brink.

So great leaders please take care

And give lots of time to think,

Of amazing wonders, good, and values

At new risk from conceited power.

Which can lead to mass destruction

In much less than an hour.

Of course there’s been great wars before

And yet somehow we still survived.

Learning from the mushroom cloud

That insured we have now arrived,

So what use then is my puny verse

That on a world scale’s just a jot?

But for me it’s hugely important,

To give our opinions than to just not

Do anything or our make a protest,

As generations have done before.

When on monumental occasions

It did bring an end to war.

So I will scribe away my thoughts

To let my feelings be known,

As you won’t succeed, if you don’t try

Thus I may not stand alone!

To purchase Laurie’s books, visit www.lauriewilkinson.com

IF YOU’RE READING THIS... SO ARE

26,400

OTHER POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS

According to our recent reader survey, an average of 2.2 people

read each copy of Bexhill News. If you printed 20,000

business cards, it would cost around £160, that’s more the cost of

an advert in this newspaper!

EMAIL: SALES@REGIONALMEDIAGROUP.CO.UK

Latest local news, visit: eastsussex.news/bexhill SEPTEMBER 2024 MOTORING 25

Driving instructor

waiting lists leave

learners in the lurch

WITH recent figures showing

there are still long waits for driving

tests, new research has revealed

that even finding a driving

instructor might prove difficult for

many learners.

The UK’s largest pre-17 driving

school, Young Driver, questioned 150

driving instructors and found that

two-thirds (67%) currently have a

waiting list for on-the-road lessons.

Although the average wait time is

two months, 7% said learners would

be waiting over six months to get a

lesson with 15% said they had waiting

lists of over four months.

When asked about the main reasons

for wait times, 70% of instructors said

the lack of driving test availability was

leaving learners in limbo for longer,

meaning others were unable to start

their learning-to-drive journey.

Over half (56%) said things had

never returned to normal post-Covid.

One in four (27%) said there was a

lack of driving instructors, and one

in five (20%) felt the issue lay with

youngsters needing more lessons to

be able to pass their test.

Young Driver has experienced a

surge in bookings this year, as parents

look to get youngsters learning to

drive before they reach their 17th

birthday, with over 50,000 lessons

being delivered in the first seven

months of 2024 — a 16% increase

on 2023.

The Young Driver survey also

revealed that people felt driving

opens up doors in terms of

employment, education and socially.

A third (34%) of non-drivers felt

they’d missed out on opportunities

because of their inability to drive.

Dacia Spring is

‘Bargain of the Year’

THE All-New Dacia Spring is

a big deal in every sense after

being judged ‘Best Car Bargain

of the Year 2024/2025’ by the

independent organisation, Best

Cars of the Year.

Comprising of industry-leading car

designers, engineers and executives

together with motorsport icons

and automotive media professionals,

the Best Cars of the Year judging

panel singled out the pure-electric

All-New Spring for its value

and versatility.

A star of the Best Cars of the Year

stand at the recent British Motor

Show, the All-New Dacia Spring is

priced at only £14,995 on-the-road,

making it the UK’s most affordable

new electric car. Ahead of the first

customer deliveries later this year,

orders are now open and static lefthand-drive

versions are displayed

in Dacia retailers nationwide for

customers to see, touch and feel.

The success of the All-New

Dacia Spring in Best Cars of the

Year’s annual New Car World

Championships follows the Dacia

Jogger picking up the same award at

last year’s ceremony.

On Best Cars of the Year declaring

the All-New Dacia Spring an

unbeatable bargain, judge Dr Andy

Palmer said: “The Dacia Spring

is great for several reasons —

particularly among those looking

for an affordable, practical efficient

electric vehicle. It’s especially suited

to urban environments and short to

medium commutes. So, upon full

consideration, I’m going with the new

Dacia Spring.”

Rewriting the EV rulebook, the All-

New Spring combines its incredible

value with a comprehensive standard

specification and everyday usability.

It offers a choice of Expression and

Extreme trim levels and has a range

of up to 140 miles (WLTP mixed cycle)

or 186 miles (WLTP urban cycle).

The Spring can be ordered with a

45hp, or a more powerful 65hp/48kW

motor. Using its 7kW charger, the

compact 26.8 kWh battery can be

charged from 20% to 100% on a

suitable domestic outlet in less than

11 hours, or in just four hours on a

7kW charger.

The standard specification includes

such features as a 7-inch digital

instrument cluster, cruise control,

manual air conditioning, rear parking

sensors, Media Control system with

USB port, electric front windows and

remote central locking.

New Audi A5 to

replace A4 models

Dealership provides eco

airshow transport

PILOTS, VIPs and Dignitaries

were able to travel in style

and with zero emissions

during the recent Eastbourne

International Airshow.

Birchwood Group, which operates

Skoda, Ford, Kia and Mitsubishi

dealerships in Eastbourne, provided

the travel to ensure the safe delivery

of pilots from a number of airfields

across Sussex in a number of newly

released EV models.

As an event sponsor, Birchwood

used the new Ford Mustang Mach-E

GT, Kia EV6, Kia Niro and the Skoda

Enyaq VRS which are all fully

electric and helped the airshow to

lower its carbon footprint.

AUDI has announced the popular

A4 model is now a thing of the past

after 30 years of service.

Powered by a new generation of

ultra-efficient combustion engines,

the new A5 and S5 Saloon and Avant

models have been revealed with

ultra-efficient engines and new

specifications.

Priced from £41,950 (OTR) and

£43,850 (OTR) respectively, the latest

A5 Saloon and Avant ranges are

now available to order, with the first

examples due to reach UK customers

in November.

All A5 variants will initially be

available with a choice of Sport, S line

and Edition 1 specification, while the

S5 Saloon and Avant will be offered

exclusively in Edition 1 form.

The range will be powered by

three state-of-the-art TFSI petrol

and TDI diesel engines - two 2.0-litre

TFSI units with 150PS and 204PS

and a 2.0-litre TDI with 204PS. In

the new S5 Saloon and S5 Avant, a

newly-developed 3.0-litre V6 TFSI

engine with optimised combustion

technology and 367PS replaced the

previous 3.0-litre TDI unit.

26 SPORT

SEPTEMBER 2024


Harwood leads sizzling

summer for BRT runners

Andrea Harwood, Beacon Way Ultra

BY JACKIE KNIGHT

ANDREA Harwood produced an

astounding result as she finished

first female at the fierce 105km

Brecon Beacons Ultra.

The Bexhill Runners and Triathletes

member was ready for a challenge

this summer — and she got one as

she self-navigated breathtaking

views to conquer some on the highest

mountains in South Wales.

Zak Overfield certainly tested his

endurance when he took on the

epic 100k ultra adventure Race to

the Stones, which included a mix of

woodland, riverside and ridge trail.

The trail ventured into the heart of the

stunning Cotswolds and finished at

Avebury Stones.

BRT’s next club runners took on

a 20-miler as they entered the High

Weald Challenge. Peter Newstead

Zak Overfield, Race to the Stones 100K

clocked a superb four hours 14

minutes while Anja Cedilnik, Mandie

Henderson, Si Leonard, David

Rogers and Syreeta Watts explored

the undulating countryside and

beautiful views to end with a great

time of 06:00.

Tom North represented BRT in the

Midnight Man half Ironman triathlon

around Dartford. Starting the event

at 6pm and racing through the night,

North finished in a time of 5hrs 3mins

44sec, proudly on the podium in an

impressive third place.

Eastbourne’s Tri-athlon halfdistance

ironman became the goal

for David Palmer, who battled the

elements and completed a great race.

He was joined by Jason Earle-Henson,

who completed the Sprint Tri-athlon

in 01:27.37. Martyn Angus took on

the prestigious Outlaw Nottingham

triathlon course as an individual entry

and secured an incredible finish of

15:18:33. Evey race involved a swim,

bike ride and a run that aimed to test

the ability of each of our triathletes.

The BigHeat — Hindhead

Common in Surrey was a big event

to remember for Dagmara Ginter

as she took on her first marathon.

Mandie Henderson, David Rogers, Simon Leonard,

Syreeta Watts and Anja Cedilnik, High Weald Challenge

BRT Club Runners at the Hailsham Relays Event

Pushing herself under relentless sun,

the stunning trail course took Ginter

a distance of 27.23 miles. The Kent

and Woodchurch 10-miler was the

next challenge for Michael Pain, who

clocked 01:10:19.

Tempo Last Leg Relays provided

friendly competition and excitement

for local running clubs. This year

runners were faced with the extra

challenge of 20mph headwinds but

performances were still fantastic for

the BRT’s men team, who came a

fabulous third.

On the evening of Wednesday,

August 14, the picturesque course

around Bates Green Farm and the

Bluebell Walk became the running

track for 68 teams from local running

clubs invited to race in teams of

four, competing in five categories:

Senior Women, Senior Men, Veteran

Women, Veteran Men and Mixed.

There were cheers all round for

BRT’s senior women category who

triumphed with first place.

This summer park running was

on a high with Cathy Bate smashing

25O parkruns and sharing this

joyous milestone at Eastbourne. Not

far behind on 195 is John Brooker

with Alison Brooker climbing up

on 156, while Stuart Robertson and

Paul Zipperlen celebrated their

50th parkruns.

If that wasn’t enough, many BRT

runners like the additional challenges

of alphabeteer, aiming to get different

Cathy Bate, 250 Parkrun celebration

letters of the alphabet and enjoying

some tourism. Catherine Cattaway

and James Graham, on his 100th

parkrun, went to Waverham. Jack

Matthews took a trip to the home

of park running, Bushey Park, then

with Megan Matthews travelled to

Cirencester, Orpington and finished

with a free cool beer at Lewes. Joanna

Swap took a tour to the historic town

of Oxford and returned to Ashford,

Kent where the “Heat” was on.

Geoff and Amanda Tondeur hit

Great Yarmouth North Beach for

their destination. And talking of

destinations, Alison Brooker has

visited 53 different locations and John

Brooker is on 66. The BRT takeover

was also a day to remember where

everyone was able to cover all the

volunteer roles, giving the Core team

a well-earned rest.

Bexhill Day — “Celebrating all things

Bexhill-on-Sea” — gave opportunity

for club members to connect with the

local community and contributing to

the wellbeing roadshow provided a

chance to promote club activities.

If you have ever thought about

running with a friendly group of likeminded

people, please go to the BRT

webpage for more information for

both adult and junior membership.

www.bexhillrunnerstriathletes.co.uk

Polegrove pile up the titles in considerable style

POLEGROVE Bowls Club Ladies

wrapped up their county

competitions by completing a

title double.

They had a good 40-22 win against

Norfolk Ladies in the Double Rink.

Rosamund Wood, Lorraine Hume,

Margaret Adcock and Rachel

Mackriell won 22-10, which meant the

team of Nicki Dale, Jo Hearsum, Nina

Allbut and Denise Hodd did not need

to play their final ends as they were

leading 18-12.

In the Top Club, Polegrove continued

their good form by beating Burgess

Hill in all disciplines to retain

their title.

Rachel Mackriell won 21-9, Lyndsey

Jamison and Denise Hodd triumphed

Polegrove Ladies

24-15, Nicki Dale, Alison Watt and

Jo Watt edged home 16-15 while

Rosamund Wood, Lorraine Hume,

Margaret Adcock and Nina Allbut

were 20-12 victors.

Those successes followed on from

Polegrove ladies claiming four

county titles.

Mackriell beat her Eastbourne

opponent 14-12 in the Two Woods

competition.

And along with Allbut and

Hodd, they successfully defended

their Triples title, again beating

Eastbourne 17-4.

Margaret Adcock joined them in the

Senior Fours to win 21-8 and qualify

for the National finals. And Lyndsey

Jamison joined the team to win the

county Fours title 21-20.

Rosamund Wood and Denise were

runners-up in the county Pairs,

losing 23-10.

In the National Top Club

competition, Polegrove lost to a strong

Appleyard team with only a win in

the triples.

At the Nationals in Leamington

Spa, Rachel Mackriell had a superb

run representing Sussex in the

Women’s Senior Singles (over 55)

championship.

Mackriell won 21-19 after 25 ends

against Julie Spice (Suffolk) in the

preliminary round, then followed up

with a 21-15 triumph over Sue Davies

of Broadway (Worcestershire) after 24

ends in round one.

A 17-16 win saw Mackriell triumph

in the quarters against Sharon Cobb

(New Lount, Leicestershire) after 25

ends but her run ended in the last four

against Caroline Campion (Banbury

Central, Oxfordshire) with a 21-16 loss

after 25 ends.

Mackriell bowed out to Diane Double

(Sutton, Surrey) in the Champions of

Champions last-32 stage.

Join us for

our next

event

Bowes House care home,

Hailsham

Power of Attorney and Wills

Wednesday 25th September

From 2pm

Listen to Elena Thompson, from Gaby

Hardwicke Solicitors explain the importance

of wills and having a Power of Attorney in

place for your loved one.

Trusted to care.

To book please call

01323 315957 or email

lisa.phillips@careuk.com

28 SPORT

SEPTEMBER 2024


Sport

Capon cracks on

for the Pirates

Common make a

point on home return

Capon scores. Photo: Amy Marshall Creative

Common clear the danger against Lingfield

BY MIKE LEGG

LEWIS HOLE grabbed the equaliser

as Little Common finally got their

first point of the season on Bank

Holiday Monday.

The striker steered home from six

yards on 80 minutes as Common

marked their first home game at the

Recreation Ground this season with a

scrappy 1-1 draw against Lingfield.

His strike was Common’s first goal

in the SCFL premier division of the

campaign and ended a losing run

of four games in the league. It could

have been all three points but Sam

Ellis had a tame 32nd-minute penalty

Russell Eldridge

saved by Tom Marshall, who dived

low to his right to parry.

But player-boss Russell Eldridge was

just relieved to get a point having seen

his side go behind to Ousmane Balde

Dansoko’s 20th-minute far post finish

after keeper Matt Cruttwell had done

superbly to push Elliott Cannon’s free

header onto the crossbar.

Eldridge said: “We were possibly a

bit disappointed not to win in the end

but, in terms of where we are with

points, we’re obviously happy to get

one on the board. Our work-rate has

been relentless, and I cannot knock

that, nor the attitude since the tough

start but it is just our quality that we

need to improve on.

“Our final pass and decision making

is the difference at the moment

because we work so hard to win the

ball, then sometimes you don’t make

the right choices and give it away so

are on the back foot again.”

Lingfield just about deserved their

opener but Hole had a towering farpost

header cleared off the line just

before Lingfield conceded the penalty

for a shove in the box.

Common improved after a rocky

start to the second half, and Eldridge

almost levelled when his curling

inswinging 70th-minute free-kick

beat everyone but pinged off the

far post.

The visitors were down to ten men

after a sin-bin for Conor Wilford

when Hole did find the equaliser —

and his 406th career goal for the club!

Eldridge had said before the

campaign that the early stages would

be one of transition and admits they

are in a battle right now, although

a penalty shootout win over SC

Thamesmead in the FA Vase two days

before (Aug 24) had lifted spirits.

He added: “It has been a really

difficult start and from last season

we have had five starters that have

gone. That transition is taking a bit of

time, and we didn’t really get it sorted

properly during pre-season and that

showed in the first couple of games.

TYLER CAPON bagged a hattrick

as Bexhill United crushed

Crowborough Athletic.

Sena Aklotsoe and Ash Latuske also

netted as the Pirates won 5-3 on the

road on Bank Holiday Monday to

rattle up their first victory since Ryan

Light returned to the helm.

United manager Light admitted

he expected it would take a little

bit of time to “get up to speed”

after his return to the club after a

season away.

But he also stated he expected the

Pirates to be competitive when they

did — and that has already proved

the case with his side getting sharper

by the game.

None more so than Capon, who

took his tally to seven for the

campaign in league and cup.

After the season opened with a 2-2

draw at Loxwood in which Tyler

and Aaron Cook netted there was

a narrow 2-1 loss to much-fancied

Hassocks in the SCFL premier

division with Richie Welch on target

(July 30).

A tough tie against Faversham

Town in the FA Cup extra

preliminary round followed at

Pirates’ temporary ‘home’ ground of

Hailsham Town which ended in

a 1-0 defeat (Aug 3). A return

to league action against newly

Evan Archibald is applauded off last season. Photo: Joe Knight

“But even before the weekend there

were green shoots and these last

couple of games have helped with

the win, albeit on penalties, and the

point here. It’s a starting point for us

and we need to keep working hard

and improving.

“We want to finish as high as we

can and at the moment we do find

ourselves in a battle, but I have faith

in the group that once we get it right

we can start to pick up points and that

will breed more confidence going

into each game.

“We have some young boys in the

group, which is great, and they are

learning and have to learn fast. And

promoted Roffey at their picturesque

‘theatre of trees’ ground saw Light’s

men felled 3-1 with a surprise

name on the scoresheet for the

visitors (Aug 10).

Evan Archibald, who made an

emotional farewell last season, was

tempted out of retirement to help

out and headed home at the far post

to put Bexhill into a half-time lead.

Three goals after the break saw the

hosts take all three points.

Newhaven — who finished fourth

last season — were up next at the

Trafalgar Ground and United led

1-0 at the break thanks to a Tyler

Capon header. The Dockers hit back

to level with a Callum Edwards goal

direct from a corner before the same

player edged the hosts ahead within

two minutes.

But sub Jack Samways equalised in

stoppage time for a deserved point

although Harry Marchant saw red

for Bexhill in the final moments.

Marchant has signed on a dual

registration/loan arrangement from

Eastbourne Borough.

United Aug/Sept fixtures:

Peacehaven & T (away, Sept 3,

PB Cup); Pagham (away, Sept 7);

Eastbourne Utd (away, Sept 14);

Haywards Heath (home, Sept 18,

RUR Cup); Lingfield (home, Sept 25);

Saltdean (away, Sept 28).

the experienced players have to step

up and also help the younger players

as well.”

Charlie Playford bagged Common’s

goal in the 1-1 Vase draw before a 4-3

shootout win (Aug 24) while there

were blanks in losses to Peacehaven

(3-0), Crawley Down (3-0), Haywards

Heath (3-0) and FA Cup opponents

Eastbourne Town (2-0) previously

in August.

Common fixtures Aug/Sept: AFC

Varndeanians (away, Aug 31); AFC

Uckfield (home, Aug 3, PB Cup); Wick

(home, Aug 7); Saltdean (home, Aug

14); Crowborough Ath (away, Aug 24);

Eastbourne Utd (home, Sept 28).

Bexhill News, September 2024, Issue 27

Transform your PDFs into Flipbooks and boost your revenue!

Delete template?

Save as template ?