Bexhill News May 2024 Issue 23

MAY 2024 | ISSUE 23

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

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

RECORD STORE DAY — 3 MUSEUM BOOST — 7 WAR HEROES — 14

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2 NEWS

MAY 2024

Latest local news, visit: Bexhill.News

WELCOME

PUBS ARE the lifeblood of every

town and fortunately in Bexhill we

are blessed with more than most.

Recently it was confirmed that

the former Traffers pub in Egerton

Road has been taken over by a new

management team and been renamed

the Ruddy Duck.

Situated in Egerton Road, there are

grand plans in the pipeine and it is to

be hoped it will prove to be a major

success.

Running a pub these days is a

precarious business but get it right and

success is surely bound to follow.

In terms of success, the Brickmakers

in Sea Road has every reason to

celebrate having been recognised by

the Campaign for Real Ales for the

third successive year.

Anyone who has visited the pub for

a pint or two knows they are assured

of a warm welcome as well as a

stunning array of real ales. They are to

be congratulated on their success and

long may it and the other pubs dotted

around Bexhill continue to thrive.

All pub fans in the town should

raise a glass to the fact that we are

undoubtedly spoilt for choice and we

need to take advantage by supporting

them at every opportunity.

Many of our pubs are holding events

throughout the summer and regular

quizzes too, so let’s get out there as a

great evening is always guaranteed.

Finally, Bexhill News paid a visit to

Milligans for our regular Matter of Taste

column which has become a popular

addition to the newspaper’s content.

We tried out their Sunday roast menu

and it proved to be a real hit.

So keep up the good work all and

let’s raise a glass to them. Cheers!

Kim Mayo, editor

Bexhill man convicted of

rapes and sexual assaults

against two young girls

A BEXHILL man who raped and

sexually assaulted two young

girls over several years has been

convicted at court.

John Armsby, 46, of Ninfield Road

in Bexhill, subjected both girls to

repeated rapes and sexual assaults for

around four years, starting when one

victim was eight years old.

In 2022, both girls disclosed the

abuse to a social worker, who

reported it to Sussex Police.

They were safeguarded and

supported by specialist officers while

an investigation was launched.

Armsby was arrested in January,

2022, and a number of seized

electronic devices were found to

contain indecent images of children.

He was subsequently charged and,

at Lewes Crown Court on Tuesday,

March 26, he was found guilty of five

counts of rape of a child, five counts of

sexual assault of a child, four counts of

possessing/making indecent images

of children and one count of assault by

penetration of a child.

He has been remanded in custody,

to be sentenced on June 6 at a court to

be confirmed.

Detective Constable Annie

McGarvey said: “These two young

girls have shown extraordinary

Lewes Crown Court. Photo: Paul Gibson

courage to report these horrific

crimes and support the investigation

through to its conclusion.

“They will have to live with the

effects of John Armsby’s appalling

offending for the rest of their lives.

“But it is thanks to their bravery that

he has been brought to justice and

remanded in custody, where he can

cause no further harm.

“I would like to thank both of

them, and their families, for the

determination they have shown

throughout this process.

“If you or someone you know has

been a victim of a sexual offence,

please report it to police online, via

101 or by calling 999 in an emergency.

“We will believe you, we will support

you and we will do everything we can

to get you justice.”

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

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by their own representatives; please direct any

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expressed within this publication are solely

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

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without express permission of the editor.

Steve Hall is a local cartoonist drawing inspiration from Bexhill and the sea. His cards, books and other items can be found in local independents and the Bexhill museum shop. He can be contacted at steve54.hall@gmail.com.

Latest local news, visit: Bexhill.News MAY 2024 NEWS 3

Enthusiastic vinyl fans at Record Store Day

Oliver Cherer, co-owner of Music’s Not Dead, enjoying Record

Store Day success. Photo from Music’s Not Dead Facebook page

Record Store

Day proves

once again

that vinyl is

not dead

PHOTOS: JTP53 PHOTOGRAPHY

THIS YEAR’S Record Store Day in

Bexhill, which took place on April

20, had more than enough going

on to satisfy every vinyl lover’s

dreams.

The nationwide event was hosted

locally as usual by Music’s Not Dead

in the foyer of the De La Warr Pavilion

with hundreds turning out in what

proved once again to be hugely

successful day.

Indeed, some hardy souls even

queued overnight to ensure they got

their hands on much sought after

limited editions by artists such as

Blur, David Bowie and The Doors, to

name but a few.

Once they were gone, they were

gone unless you were prepared to pay

exorbitant amounts on sites such as

eBay for the rarest items.

But that is not really the name of

the game and it is to all intents and

purposes a bit of a cop out. True vinyl

lovers will get there early to ensure

they are near the front of the queue

when the doors open for business.

Business partners Del Querns

and Oliver “Ollie” Cherer, who run

Music’s Not Dead, were delighted

with the response from their

dedicated customers.

Having spent days preparing for

Record Store Day and then working

tirelessly on the Saturday itself, a

suitably knackered Del said: “It has

been great and that is a tribute to our

loyal customer base who turned out

in their droves.

“Record Store Day has grown and

grown every single year since its

inception with vinyl lovers of all ages

keen to add to their collections at

every opportunity.

“But Record Store Day is a bit special

because the albums available are

all limited editions and it is a case of

first come, first served. That is why it

generates so much interest.”

Ollie added that the age of

customers ranges from the age of

eight to 80 and that interest in the

vinyl format continues to grow.

He said: “It is the best listening

experience. That is one of the main

reasons it is so successful once more,

with more and more people buying

vinyl.”

As a loyal customer, yours truly

joined the enthusiastic throng with

the intention of buying three specific

albums and that was going to be it.

One of those I had hoped to acquire

had already gone but at least I

managed to bag the other two. Job

done. Except it wasn’t.

I returned later in the day to peruse

the remaining stock and, er…bought

another five. Suffice to say the bank

manager won’t be too pleased.

But the day itself wasn’t just about

vinyl because Del and Ollie provided

extra entertainment by securing

three bands to provide additional

Local band The Longshore Drifters

entertainment in store.

The bands in question, namely The

Equatorial Group, The Longshore

Drifters and The Near Jazz

Experience all went down a storm

and provided a welcome break from

flicking through the racks of limited

vinyl releases.

An additional bonus was that

both Del and Ollie are members

of local bands with the former the

keyboardist with The Office for

Personal Development (OPD) and the

latter a pivotal player with Aircooled.

Both bands released new albums

earlier this year but for Record Store

Day, it was decided to release a double

“A-sided” single with a cover version

on each side of a well-known track.

OPD opted for Dolly Parton’s 9 to

5 while Aircooled recorded Song in

Heaven by Sparks and they proved to

be inspired choices as the single sold

like hot cakes, racking up close to one

hundred sales at the time of writing.

It was a wild and wonderful day

once again and my turntable has

barely stopped spinning since. Will

most of us be back for next year’s

event? Well, let’s face it. That’s a

given.

The Near Jazz Experience

Del Querns, Nikki Gedney and Oliver Cherer

Diehard music fans Simon Smith,

Lewis Ikin and Leo the dog

4 NEWS

MAY 2024


Residents of Marine Court Mansions show off their award

Lynn and Jim Langlands receive their award from Mayor, Lynn Brailsford

The Heritage Awards

honour all those

who have brought

pride to Bexhill

THERE WAS plenty of pride on

display in Bexhill as those who

have contributed hugely to the

local community were honoured

for their efforts.

Town mayor, Councillor Lynn

Brailsford, praised the awardwinners

at Bexhill Heritage’s biennial

Civic Pride Awards, which were held

at St Barnabas Church in Sea Road.

Explaining that “beautiful buildings

and well-cared-for public spaces

bring joy to everyone in Bexhill”, the

mayor thanked all the award-winners

for their hard work in making a

significant difference to the quality of

Bexhill’s environment.

Bexhill Heritage’s Civic Pride

Award scheme celebrates the efforts

made by businesses, organisations

and individuals to conserve and

restore heritage buildings, while also

creating and caring for public open

spaces, and promoting the best of

modern design.

The heritage charity’s chairman,

Steve Johnson, said: “It’s not enough

simply to be proud of Bexhill’s

heritage, we must actively celebrate,

conserve and restore the best of what

we have while creating buildings and

spaces that bring pleasure to future

generations.”

Bexhill Heritage’s latest project is to

renovate the formerly derelict 1920s

seafront shelter in East Parade before

moving on to restore the nationallysignificant

Collins and Pallot concrete

mural on Sainsbury’s Town Hall

Square store.

Among the 2024 Civic Pride awardwinners

were:

• St Barnabas staff and volunteers

for carefully conserving their

nationally-listed church and

making it such a welcoming place.

• Former town mayor, Lynn

Langlands and her husband Jim for

their vision and hard work to make

the Covid Memorial Tree such

an important focal point on the

eastern promenade.

• Staff and volunteers at the United

Reformed Church in Cantelupe

Road for the consistent care shown

to their “little gem” of a building.

• The Knole Road Flat Owners’

Association for their dedicated

stewardship of Marine Mansions,

one of Bexhill’s flagship Victorian

Rev Martin Harper picks up an excellence award on behalf of St Barnabas

buildings.

• Residents of Marine Court Avenue,

for conserving their unique early

20th century seafront terrace,

battling against the ravages of

wind, rain, sea and salt.

• A householder in Dorset Road

who bought the house her great

grandfather had built as a family

home in 1898. She had lived there

as a girl, moved back as an adult

and single-handedly restored the

house to its former glories in spite

of her limited budget.

• Holly Blakeley, a hair salon owner

in Sea Road, who had enhanced her

property’s original features to create

a relaxing space for her clients.

• Maltbys Property Services for

incorporating Bexhill’s Victorian

shopfront designs as part of a

functional and attractive business

premises.

• A local architect, Iain Exley, and

his patron for a beautiful and

functional modern home built in

the spirit and with the style of the

De La Warr Pavilion.

Members of the Knole Road Flat Owners Association collect

an award for their dedicated stewardship of Marine Mansions

Holly Blakeley is delighted with her

‘business and commerce’ award

Bexhill Heritage Chairman, Steve Johnson,

discussing the design of the Bexhill Modern House

with its architect, Iain Exley, and patron and owner


Permanent plaque is

unveiled in tribute

to popular member

of deaf community

A TOUCHING ceremony was held

at Picasso to commemorate the

life of Marie Warner, a prominent

member of Bexhill’s deaf

community.

A permanent plaque was attached

to the bench outside Marie’s regular

haunt, Picasso in Devonshire Road,

with members of her friends and

family in attendance for the unveiling

before enjoying coffees and sharing

their reminiscences.

Her good friend Marigold Connolly

said: “She was a quite remarkable

woman and will be sorely missed by

all those who knew her.

“Marie was a pillar of the community

and much loved by all those who came

to know her. We were blessed by her

company.”

Few people are born one of five

sisters and fewer still can claim that all

five were born congenitally deaf.

Yet Marie, who lived in Linden

Road, Bexhill, for 40 years before her

passing, led a quite extraordinary life.

Growing up in West Hampstead,

London, the fourth daughter of a

boot-maker father and seamstress

mother who were also both deaf from

birth Marie lived through the Great

Depression, the Blitz, evacuation,

and the post-war boom years before

settling in Hastings, where she owned

and managed guest houses until her

long retirement in Bexhill.

She soon became well-known in

the deaf community as a charismatic

and attractively presented figure,

always with a story to tell about her

adventures both at home and abroad.

For the local hearing community,

Marie was instantly recognisable as

the “deaf lady”, who might require

a few extra moments to transact

her business or complete her

shopping, but for whom patience

would invariably be rewarded with a

Members of the Sussex Deaf Association

gracious smile and generous word of

thanks.

Marie was a regular at St John’s

Church and deaf-chorister. Marie also

enjoyed long lunches with friends and

family at her favourite Devonshire

Road restaurants, including Trattoria

Italiana and Picasso Express, both

venues that became a home for

Bexhill’s Deaf community to gather

and chat about life in town and the

world beyond.

Everyone who gathered to

commemorate her life had a plethora

of stories to share and agreed

the much-loved member of the

Marie Warner

community would be sorely missed.

The plaque was unveiled on April

16 on the bench where she spent

so many happy hours observing

what was going on. It now acts as a

permanent reminder of Marie’s long

association with the town and her

deep affection for its residents.

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6 NEWS

MAY 2024


Three cheers as popular

pub wins award for

third year in running

BEXHILL’S POPULAR Brickmaker’s

Alehouse has won a prestigious

award for the third year running.

The pub has been selected as

CAMRA’s (Campaign for Real Ale)

South East Sussex branch as Pub of

the Year.

CAMRA was founded in 1971 and it

is an independent organisation that

promotes real ale, cider and perry, as

well as traditional British pubs and

clubs.

The Brickmaker’s team wrote

on their Facebook page: “We are

delighted to confirm that we have

been chosen by the South East Sussex

branch of CAMRA as their Pub of The

Year for the third year running.

“It is an amazing honour and the sort

of thing we could have only dreamed

about when we opened in November

2019.

“Thank you so much to all members

of the branch who voted for us and for

all our great customers who continue

to support us in these challenging

economic times.

“We have been fortunate enough

to work with some great brewers and

cider makers, who have helped make

it a golden age for the drinking public.

“Last but not least, we want to thank

our amazing team of bar workers

for all their work this year, we’d be

nothing without them.

“The presentation from the branch

chairman will be, put it in your diary,

on June 25. Watch this space for more

details of the fun to come. Cheers!”

Loyal patrons have also joined in the

pub’s celebrations.

Jonathan Rick wrote on their

Facebook page: “Well done to all the

Brickmaker’s team. It is a fantastic

pub.”

Olly Hammond added:

“Congratulations, well deserved.”

Karen Land wrote: “Fabulous news!

Well done, all of you.”

While Andrew Black wrote:

“Heartiest congratulations from the

Isle of Wight. Well deserved!”

The premises has been in Sea

Road since 1900. Before becoming

Brickmaker’s Alehouse, the property

was once a milliner’s shop, a tea room,

restaurant and wholefood shop.

Tributes paid to ‘amazing

mother of two’ from Battle

who died in car crash

TRIBUTES HAVE been paid to an

“amazing daughter, sister and

mother of two”, who lost her life

in a crash in Eastbourne.

Officers were called to the

incident which involved four

vehicles near Shooters Bottom Car

Park, Beachy Head Road at about

4.25pm on April 1.

The rider of a red Honda

motorbike, Heidi Visser, 29, from

Battle died at the scene, despite the

best efforts of paramedics.

A 19-year-old man from

Eastbourne was arrested on

suspicion of causing death by

careless driving. He has been

released on conditional bail,

pending further enquiries.

Heidi’s family have issued the

following tribute following the

incident: “Heidi was a personal

trainer and hairdresser and was

very well-known and loved in

Heathfield, Uckfield and the

surrounding areas.

“Her passions included body

building and motorbikes, but most

importantly, she had a passion for

her children.

“Heidi loved horse riding in her

younger years and grew up on the

farm with a love for animals.

“She was a partner to Kieran who

she absolutely adored. Heidi was

taken far too soon but will be loved

forever.”

Heidi’s family have asked for

privacy at this difficult time.

Police are appealing for anyone

who witnessed the collision or

captured any relevant CCTV

or dashcam footage to contact

collision.appeal@sussex.police.uk,

quoting Operation Chisel.

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Bexhill Museum welcomes major

investment boost from Government

BEXHILL MUSEUM has been

selected as one of 26 across the

country for a major investment

this year from the Government.

More than £390,000 in new

investment will allow the museum

team to carry out urgent structural

and flood proofing works on the

lower ground floor and re-tile and

insulate the Sargent Gallery roof.

This announcement was made by

the Government’s Department of

Culture Media & Sport (DCMS) on

March 25.

The museum will also be able to

leak-proof the walls, replace external

doors and repaint the building’s front

and back.

Museum chairwoman of trustees

Sally Hemmings welcomed the news.

She said: “This investment will set

the building up for decades to come,

enabling new and exciting activities,

greater accessibility for all, and open

up the extra space we need to study,

share and expand our collection”.

The funding only covers the cost

of extensive works on the building

Bexhill Museum. Photo: Alexis Markwick, via Wikimedia Commons

fabric itself. The fixtures and fittings

will have to be funded elsewhere, as

the park-facing lower ground floor is

made safe and suitable for collection

care and volunteer use over the next

two years.

Accessibility works will allow

Bexhill Museum to open up a second

education room and install more

space efficient mobile shelving with

additional funding made available

from local developers’ levies by East

Sussex County Council.

Huw Merriman, Conservative

MP for Bexhill and Battle, said:

“The museum’s visitor numbers

are at their best in decades and its

volunteers have done a sensational

job expanding educational services

and serving local groups working for

better health and wellbeing.”

East Sussex Conservative County

Councillor for Bexhill South, Ian

Hollidge, said: “The county council is

delighted to support Bexhill Museum

and this project, by facilitating

additional funding for fixtures

and fittings not covered by the

government’s grant.”

Arts Council England chief

executive Darren Henley said

museums make a huge contribution

to the lives of people.

He said: “This investment in the

physical fabric of their buildings

helps to make sure that our museums

are able to carry on serving their

communities for years to come.”

Alongside Bexhill Museum, other

museums to win support from the

MEND fund in this round include

Chatham Royal Dockyard, Uppark

House in West Sussex, Powell-Cotton

Museum in Kent, and the Discovery

Museum in Newcastle.

The DCMS/Arts Council investment

in Bexhill Museum was announced

on the same day the government

released news of a separate and

additional £20 million worth of

Levelling Up Partnership funding for

other regeneration projects in Bexhill

and Rother.

The two government funds are not

connected.

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8 NEWS

MAY 2024


Former company

director who drove

on wrong side of

road jailed over

head-on collision

A DANGEROUS driver from

Bexhill caused a head-on crash

by travelling on the wrong side

of the A21 in Vinehall Street near

Robertsbridge.

Jean Dias was driving a Land Rover

that collided with a white Ford Fiesta

while travelling on the wrong side of

the road.

The collision caused the driver of

the Ford Fiesta, a 54-year-old man

from Hastings, to suffer life-changing

injuries.

Dias claimed there must have been

a vehicle fault that caused his car to

veer to the right.

But an investigation found no

vehicle defects.

The most likely cause of the collision

was Dias being either distracted or

driving in such a careless way for it to

be reckless.

Careless and dangerous driving are

major factors in causing death and

serious injury on our roads.

At Lewes Crown Court on April 19,

Dias, aged 44, formerly a company

director of Sandown Way, Bexhill,

admitted causing serious injury by

dangerous driving.

He was jailed for two years and four

months, and has been disqualified

from driving for five years.

The court was told how the incident

happened on the A21 at about 5.15am

on January 24 last year.

Footage showed Dias’ vehicle

travelling on the wrong side of the

road for at least ten seconds leading

up to the impact.

Emergency services were called

to the scene where the driver of the

Jean Dias

white Ford Fiesta was trapped in his

vehicle.

The victim had to be cut free from

the wreckage and has suffered lifechanging

injuries.

He has been unable to walk unaided

since the collision and continues to

struggle with simple everyday tasks,

which has impacted heavily on both

his and his family’s lives.

Sergeant Vicki Rees from the Roads

Policing Unit said: “The victim’s life

has been changed immeasurably as a

result of this collision.

“It illustrates the danger of not

paying full attention when you’re

behind the wheel.

“We may never know the full reason

why Dias was on the wrong side of

the road, but it was most likely a

significant and prolonged lapse in

concentration.

“Dias is fortunate that this collision

did not lead to the death of the driver

in the Ford Fiesta, or to more serious

harm for himself and other road

users.

“Throughout April my colleagues

across the Roads Policing Unit have

been carrying out additional patrols

to raise awareness of the ‘fatal five’

factors which cause people to be

killed or seriously injured on our

roads.

“Those factors are; driving at excess

or inappropriate speed, drink or

drug-driving, not wearing a seatbelt,

driving while distracted such as

using a mobile phone, and driving in

a careless, antisocial or dangerous

manner as in this case.

“This case shows the devastating

consequences this kind of poor

driving can have, and shows our

determination to fully investigate

to ensure offenders are brought to

justice.”

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Bexhill Maritime founder makes a

real splash with top civic award

Raymond Konyn receiving a Mayor’s

Civic Award. Photo Bexhil Maritime

THE FOUNDER of Bexhill Maritime

has been honoured for his

contribution to the community.

Raymond Konyn has been given a

Mayor’s Civic Award by Bexhill Town

Council for his many years of service

to the town.

It was presented by Town Mayor

Councillor Lynn Brailsford at a public

meeting.

Mr Konyn was also the founder

of Bexhill Heritage and is a trustee

of Bexhill Old Town Preservation

Society.

He said: “It was a surprise and

an honour to receive this award,

flourished by a 15-piece-band fanfare

and the Bexhill Town Crier.

“The Mayor’s Civic Award lapel pin

is charming too. These awards are

more about teamwork rather than

just one person’s accolade, and I’m

really just representing an excellent

Bexhill Maritime team here.

“It was so good to see several very

deserving recipients, and there

are plenty of unsung heroes that

I know of, who will no doubt be

Town Councillor Lynn Brailsford

eligible for next year’s Town Council

nominations.”

Mr Konyn’s latest role is as founder

and chairman of the charity Bexhill

Maritime which plans to build a

coastal environment centre on the

seafront.

He was the person who had the

idea of bringing the Royal Sovereign

Lantern Tower to the town to be a

focal point of the centre.

This was achieved in December and

the tower is now in storage awaiting

the construction of the building.

The grand plan is to

build a coastal Maritime

Environment Centre in

the town’s East Parade

with the lantern as the

centrepiece.

It is envisaged the

environment centre

will incorporate a

permanent site for

education about climate change

and the marine environment

with information forming part of the

display at the centre.

In addition, it will act as a showcase

for various forms of renewable

energy as well as a display space

which will have maritime artefacts,

including tributes to those who have

connections to the sea and the tower

itself.

Bexhill Maritime is a charity which

aims to educate the people of Bexhill

and surrounding areas about the

effects of climate change on the

maritime environment. It promotes

the protection the marine, coastal,

physical and natural environment.

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10 EVENTS

MAY 2024


EVENTS GUIDE

Email your event details to: events@bexhill.news

CRAFT FAIR

Saturday 11th May from 10am - 2.30 pm

St. Barnabas Church. Sea Road. Bexhill.

TN40 1JG

We have over 30 local crafters selling

their beautiful handmade items. We

also have a pop-up cafe with homemade

cakes, sandwiches and soup. Tea &

coffee available with a seating area. Free

entry. 10am - 2.30pm.

LITTLE COMMON

COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION’S

ANNUAL PLANT SALE

Friday 10th May, 9am to 11am

Community Centre, (adjacent to the

primary school) Shepherds Close, Little

Common, TN39 4SQ.

All plants are locally grown by

volunteers.

THE LITTLE COMMON &

BEXHILL PLAYERS

Thursday 9th, Friday 10th May at

7:30pm and Saturday 11th May matinee

at 2:30pm and final performance at

7:30pm.

Presenting Olde Time Music Hall,

bringing back the good old days!

There will be 1920s & 1930s songs for

audience to join in together with amusing

short sketches, a few child friendly jokes

thrown in. Seating will be at tables and

you can bring your own drinks and

nibbles. Affiliated to NODA.

ANNUAL SPRING FAIR

Saturday 11th May, 10am-12.30pm

Royal British Legion Woman’s Section

Little Common are holding their annual

Spring Fair with stalls including book,

jewellery, craft, clothes, raffle and our

popular auction and many more. All

proceeds go to the RBL Women’s Section

benevolent fund.

BIG GREEN EVENT — PART

OF THE BIG GREEN WEEK

Sunday 9th June 1pm-4pm

Discovery Centre, Freshfields, St

Leonards on Sea, TN38 8FB

Join us in the Community Garden for

some fun, increase your awareness of

climate change. Help sustain and protect

local nature. Learn how to make swap for

life. We will have paper pot making, seed

planting, bird box making, lots of nature

related stalls. Refreshments available.

Free entry.

Contact: Emmas Ramsden 07718

043148, Emma.ramsden@groundwork.

org.uk (stall booking). Julie Willard

07549276426 info@juliewillard.co.uk.

(on day info). Friends of Combe Valley in

collaboration with Groundwork South.

DEMENTIA AWARENESS WEEK

Friday 17th May 2024 - 1:30-3:30pm

St Augustines Church Hall,

Cooden Road, Bexhill, TN39 3AZ

Are you, or someone you love affected

www.littlecommonbexhillplayers.co.uk

BEX NEWS POPPY AD MAY '24.qxp_BEX by 23/04/2024 dementia? Do 16:09 you have Page a 1question

about their care, or services available

locally?

As part of Dementia Awareness

Week, Bexhill Dementia Action

Alliance (BDAA) are hosting a social

information and advice event for

everyone involved with dementia in

the local area. Come along and find

out about BDAA, and what is available

to support people with dementia to

live well. Representatives from

services, including homecare,

residential, health, solicitors, and

hospital care, as well as voluntary

organisations will be available with

information. There will be a free raffle,

as well as teas, coffees and light

refreshments available. Carers, relatives,

friends and people with dementia, or

memory problems all welcome!

For further information, please visit:

www.bexhilldementiaactionalliance.co.uk,

our Facebook page, or telephone

07749 037 257.

SPRING FAIR

Saturday 25th May 2024.

From 11:30am until 2:30pm

St Stephen’s Church Hall and Grounds,

Woodsgate Park, Bexhill, TN39 4DL.

Craft, cake, bric-a-brac and record

stalls, tombola, refreshments, family

entertainment and much more. The

Friends of Lossie Long in celebration of

Lossie’s Centenary Year.

www.friendsoflossielong.org

BRIGHT LIGHTS

THEATRE COMPANY

Based in Little Common for over 22

years, Bright Lights Theatre Company

has gained a reputation and loyal

following for its diversity of productions

from high comedy to serious drama and

Bright Lights Infants were created by Sue

Hughes knowing that we can all relate to

being children performing on stage.

With potted versions of musicals such

as ‘The Sound of Music’ and ‘The Wizard

of Oz’ it was laughter all the way for

audiences. Now through Sue’s writing

they are a disparate group of teenagers

in Year Ten at High School and “Bright

Lights High School Musical” is a ‘musical

comedy play’ about a failing school

whose dedicated and caring Head is close

to retirement. There is then a chance

for the kids to hopefully shine in a TV

inter-schools singing competition. How

will they get on?

If you want to find out it will be staged

nightly at Little Common Methodist

Hall from 12th-15th June at 7.45pm.

Tickets £8 will be available in May from

‘Wickham Bistro’ in Bexhill (open Friday

to Sunday) and ‘Little Gem’ in Little

Common.

LET US ENTERTAIN YOU!

..

REGULAR TOP LIVE ACTS BAR SINGERS LARGE TV SCREENS SPACIOUS BAR

SKY/BT SPORTS DARTS SNOOKER 80-SEATER HALL FOR HIRE

PART TIME STAFF WANTED

WEEKEND WORK INCLUDED

GOOD PAY

CONTACT: GARY DONALD

01424 842710

E: littlecommonlegion.co.uk

join the club!

NEW MEMBERS WELCOME!

The Poppy Club, Meads Avenue, Little Common, Bexhill TN39 4SZ.

Tel: 01424 842710. littlecommonlegion.co.uk

PART TIME STAFF WANTED

WEEKEND WORK INCLUDED

GOOD PAY

CONTACT: GARY DONALD

01424 842710

E: littlecommonlegion.co.uk


Rebranded pub is aiming to make a real

impact with grand plans for future

A POPULAR Bexhill pub has a new

management team and is also

undergoing a complete revamp to

make it a go-to destination in the

town.

The former Traffers pub in Egerton

Road, close to the seafront and several

other amenities, has been rebranded

as the Ruddy Duck and several exciting

initiatives have been planned.

The running of the pub has been

taken over by new tenants Elisa

Uludag and Jane Hill, who have

extensive experience in the pub trade.

They have run The Swan pub in

Lewes for the past 12 years, but believe

they can make an equal success with

the Ruddy Duck.

Elisa said: “We have several exciting

plans in the pipeline and thought

the pub was a perfect opportunity to

expand our business.

“Although we are tenants at the

moment having taken over on April

1, the objective is to buy the premises

and hopefully complete the purchase

as soon as possible.

“It is a completely new venture for

us but we believe Bexhill is the perfect

location although there is plenty of

work to be done.

“For a start, the building needs

complete modernisation but we

believe it is vital that the pub continues

as a going concern so the work needed

will be carried out gradually rather

than shutting down while renovations

are carried out.

“We discovered the pub was up for

sale and we just fell in love with it.

There is so much potential and the

location is beautiful.

“An added bonus is that it is, to all

intents and purposes, a blank canvas

and we are determined to transform it

and make it a big success.”

Both believe that Bexhill is the

perfect destination in which to grow

their business and they want to appeal

to regulars and new customers too.

Elisa added: “We believe Bexhill

chose us rather than the other way

around. Since we took over local people

have been very friendly and supportive

and they really want us to succeed.

“They have all said they are delighted

it will be staying as a pub and that they

will be supporting us. We both like to

be crowd pleasers and this really is a

fantastic opportunity.”

From left: Elisa Uludag, Bexhil Chamber of Commerce

President Howard and Agnes, the bar manager

Jane is equally enthusiastic about the

future of the Ruddy Duck and outlined

some of the initiatives they aim to

implement over the forthcoming

weeks and months.

She said: “There is an outside area

that has so much potential and we

want to make that a welcoming focal

point with new outdoor furniture and

attractive plants. We want it to be as

appealing as possible.

“There is already a quiz night which

is very popular but we want to build on

that with other events that will appeal

to customers old and new.

For a start, putting on regular

intimate gigs featuring local musicians

is certainly on the agenda but there

will be plenty more in store too.”

Howard Martin, President of Bexhill

Chamber of Commerce, is also fully

supportive of the new venture.

He said: “Bexhill Chamber of

Commerce welcomes this new

investment in Bexhill. We are sure

the very experienced team will make

a massive success of this great pub

which is such an important venue at

the heart of our community for both

locals and visitors.”

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12 NEWS

MAY 2024


Baby and toddler creative play

classes launched in Bexhill

A NEW and exciting programme

of creative classes, to support

parents and carers with babies

and toddlers, has been launched in

Bexhill.

Hands-on creative workshops have

been developed by The Creation

Station to enable parents to share,

develop and discover experiences

with their child.

This term’s’ programme called

Shimmy Shapes has been created

in line with the early years and

foundation stage to nurture parenting

skills and to develop essential bonds.

The fun and practical weekly classes

provide a range of art and craft

activities and include ideas and tips to

continue the play ideas at home.

The classes are based on fostering

a child’s own natural curiosity to

develop a love of learning through

shared hands-on creative fun.

The Baby Discover classes have

been designed for babies aged six

months to 17 months and the Little

Explorer classes are for toddlers aged

17 months to five years of age.

Activities include exploring

painting, printing, clay, matching

Laura Baker

shapes, exploring colours and

making dancing puppets.

Laura Barker, owner of The

Creation Station Bexhill and Little

Common, said: “I’m really excited

about launching classes in Bexhill

and helping children in our local

area to express themselves through

a wonderful range of engaging art

The classes encourage children to be creative

Photo supplied by The Creation Station

activities, while at the same time

supporting parents and carers in

learning new creative skills to support

their child’s creative development.

“In addition to this both children

and adults will be having lots of fun

and making new friends too.

“Classes are designed to inspire

children, develop skills and support

Children enjoying the interactive classes


their emotional well-being. This

term, our Shimmer Shapes theme

will inspire many little creative

minds.

Laura, a mum-of-two and former

primary school teacher, is leading

the weekly, term-time programme

for youngsters and their parents/

carers at St Michael’s Church Hall on

Mondays and Thursdays.

Class times vary according to group.

You can visit their website for more

information.

There are further family fun classes

The classes aim to nurture creativity


in school holidays and monthly Tiny

Treasures for newborn to six months.

For further information about these

new classes, please contact Laura on

0789 555 4342 or visit the website

www.thecreationstation.co.uk/

locations/bexhill-and-little-common.

You can also follow their Facebook

page: www.facebook.com/

CreationStationBexhillLittleCommon

for updates on new classes and

session details can be found.

The Creation Station is also available

for local events.

May - July 2024

Throughout Hastings and Rother

visit stmichaelshospice.com or call

01424 456396

Registered charity number 288462

Open

Gardens

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 - 5th May & 2nd June from 5:30pm

Monday Charity Quiz - 27th from 8:00pm

Rock ‘n Roll Bingo - Sunday 19th from 6:00pm

Sunday Karaoke - Please contact us for details of this event

Live Music

Party Night with Ritchie Lee - Dance the night away with all the Soul

& Motown hits. Friday 31st from 8:00pm.

Don’t forget to book early for our incredibly popular Sunday

Lunch service.

Served every week from 12:00pm to 4:00pm

(last arrivals are at 3:30pm). See above for contact details.

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!


Second World War pilot

celebrates his 100th birthday

in style with friends

Albert Stone, also known as Rocky

Rocky celebrating his 100th birthday with friends

A SECOND World War pilot

celebrated his 100th birthday

in style with friends in Little

Common.

Albert “Rocky” Stone left school

at 14 in the East End of London and

worked locally until signing up with

the Royal Air Force at the aged of 17.

He trained in Scotland before

transferring to Canada where he

worked on Tiger Moths before

switching to Dakotas.

Following his return to England,

he was transferred to India where he

flew troops and supplies into Burma.

Back in civvy street Rocky became

The Little Commoners are hosting

a Veteran Fish and Chips dinner

a draughtsman with the Ford Motor

company in Essex. He provided

drawings of components for the

installation of electrical circuits in

new models.

But the flying bug wouldn’t leave him

and he bought a share in a light aircraft

to continue his passion for flying.

In retirement, Rocky moved to

Bexhill with his first wife, Jackie. They

were both keen dancers and enjoyed

old time and modern sequence. They

also played bowls at the Gullivers

Club.

After Jackie’s death he married his

second wife, Betty, who was also a

member of Gullilvers.

She, too, was a dancer and Rocky

introduced her to a dance club at

Little Common Community Centre

where they shared many happy

times.

Following her death, Rocky bought

himself a red mobility scooter on

which he is often seen buzzing down

the lane to Little Common or into

town for the dentist or to go shopping.

A friend said: “We all first met Rocky

and Betty over coffee at Two Trees,

which later became Chapter Two.

“He remains fiercely independent

to this day, doing his own cooking

and ironing but still enjoys socialising

with friends over coffee, meals and

bowls.”

Following the celebrations to mark

his landmark birthday Rocky said he

was grateful for the love and support

of 15 friends who had gathered for a

hugely-enjoyable lunch at Chapter

Two.

The Little Commoners is hosting the

Veterans Fish and Chips Dinner in aid

of the 80th anniversary of D-Day. This

is to honour those who have served

and continue to serve the country.

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BEXHILL-ON-SEA TN39 5AE

14 NEWS

MAY 2024


War Graves Week is coming

to Bexhill and this is your

opportunity to find out more

THE COMMONWEALTH War

Graves Commission (CWGC) will

be bringing War Graves Week to

Bexhill and is offering free tours at

Bexhill Cemetery.

War Graves Week (May 11 until

May 19) is aimed at encouraging

people from the local community

to come together and discover the

world war heritage on their doorstep

to learn about the stories of those

commemorated by the CWGC in

Bexhill and the skills, dedication

and expertise of CWGC staff and

volunteers who work to keep

memories alive.

The free guided tours will take place

for two days, May 12 and May 18,

and will give people in Bexhill the

chance to discover the remarkable

stories of the men and women of the

Commonwealth forces who died in

the First and Second World Wars and

who are buried in their community.

More than 51 casualties from the

two World Wars are buried at Bexhill

Cemetery.

Bexhill Cemetery. Photo supplied by Commonwealth War Graves Commission

They include the stories of an RAF

evader; two Canadian First World

War soldiers whose imminent

return home was cut short; plus two

merchant seamen whose graves lay

unmarked for 96 years and the sad

passing of a mayor’s son.

As a result, 2024 is a significant

year for commemoration and the

CWGC has launched The Legacy of

Liberation campaign to mark the

80th anniversaries of several pivotal

moments during the Second World

War.

From Kohima and Imphal, to

the D-Day Landings, the Legacy

of Liberation remembers these

remarkable events and War Graves

Week is an opportunity to find out

more.

Visitors can learn about the stories

of local and international heroes.

Inside Bexhill Cemetery. Photo supplied by Commonwealth War Graves Commission

The tours will be led by David

Hatherell who is a volunteer for the

CWGC.

Director General of the CWGC,

Claire Horton, said: “Behind every

name on a war grave or memorial in

Bexhill is a human story waiting to be

discovered and War Graves Week is

the perfect opportunity to do just that.

“As world leaders in

commemoration, our mission is to

ensure those who died in service, or as

a result of conflict, are commemorated

so they, and the human cost of war, are

remembered forever.”

The CWGC is encouraging the

people of Bexhill to seek out the

stories in their local area and book

onto a free tour during War Graves

Week.

The Commonwealth War Graves

Commission is a global leader in

commemoration. Founded by Royal

Charter in 1917, it works on behalf

of the governments of Australia,

Canada, India, New Zealand, South

Africa and the United Kingdom to

commemorate the 1.7 million men

and women from the Commonwealth

who lost their lives in the two World

Wars.

The cemeteries, memorials, graves,

landscapes, and records in their

care will be found at 23,000 locations

and in more than 150 countries and

territories.

Visit www.cwgc.org/wargravesweek

to book a tour.

MOVIES, SHOWS AND FUN FOR

THE WHOLE FAMILY

AT THE HAILSHAM PAVILION

BOB MARLEY - ONE LOVE

7-9 MAY - 14:15 & 19:30

One Love celebrates the life and

music of an icon who inspired

generations through his

message of love and unity. On

the big screen for the first time,

discover Bob’s powerful story of

overcoming adversity and the

journey behind his revolutionary

music.

MIGRATION

4-6 MAY - 14:15

Creators of the blockbuster

Minions, Despicable Me, Sing and

The Secret Life of Pets comedies,

invites you to take flight into the

thrill of the unknown with a funny,

feathered family vacation like no

other in the action-packed new

original comedy, Migration.

THE FALL GUY

24 MAY - 2 JUNE - 14:15 & 19:30

A successful stantman, fresh off

an almost career-ending accident,

this working-class hero has to

track down a missing movie star,

solve a conspiracy and try to win

back the love of his life while still

doing his day job. What could

possibly go right?

GOLDEN OLDIES: MARY

POPPINS

24 MAY - 14:30

When Jane and Michael, the

children of the wealthy and

uptight Banks family, are faced

with the prospect of a new nanny,

they are pleasantly surprised by

the arrival of the magical Mary

Poppins.

ORDINARY ANGELS

17-23 MAY - 14:15 & 19:30

Based on a remarkable true

story, Sharon Steves, a fierce but

struggling hairdresser in smalltown

Kentucky who discovers a

renewed sense of purpose when

she meets Ed Schmitt, a widower

working hard to make ends meet

for his two daughters.

GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN

EMPIRE

11-12 MAY - 14:15

The Spengler family returns to

where it all started, the iconic New

York City firehouse to team up

with the original Ghostbusters,

who’ve developed a top-secret

research lab to take busting ghosts

to the next level.

WICKED LITTLE LETTERS

8-27 MARCH - 14:15 & 19:30

Fiery Rose Gooding has little in

common with the pious Edith

Swan aside from them being

neighbors in the seaside town of

Littlehampton in the 1920’s. Edith

starts receiving scandalous letters

written with foul language as

eccentric as it is obscene.

A BOOK OF CLARENCE

10-13 MAY - 19:30

Clarence is struggling to find a

better life for his family, while

fighting to free himself of debt.

Captivated by the power and glory

of the rising Messiah and His

apostles, he risks everything to

carve his own path to a divine life.

KUNG FU PANDA 4

25 MAY - 2 JUNE - 10:30 & 14:15

After three death-defying

adventures defeating world-class

villains with his martial arts skills,

Po, the Dragon Warrior, is called

upon by destiny to give it a rest

already. More specifically, he’s

tapped to become the Spiritual

Leader of the Valley of Peace.

TO BOOK TICKETS CALL THE

BOX OFFICE ON 01323 841414

E: info@hailshampavilion.co.uk W: hailshampavilion.co.uk

EVENT CINEMA

THE ROYAL BALLET PRESENTS:

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE

30 MAY - 2 JUNE - 14:15 & 19:20

Directed and choreographed by Kate

Prince. Based on the songs of Sting

with ZooNation: The Kate Prince

Company.

The peaceful village of Bebko is alive

with joyous celebrations. Suddenly,

under attack, everything changes

forever. Three siblings, Leto, Mati

and Tana, must embark on perilous

journeys in order to survive.

Message In A Bottle is a spectacular

new dance-theatre show from

five-time Olivier Award nominee, Kate Prince, inspired

by and set to the iconic hits of 17-time Grammy

Award-winning artist Sting, including Every Breath

You Take, Roxanne, Walking On The Moon and more.

With a mix of exhilarating dance styles, high-energy

footwork and breath-taking athleticism, Message In A

Bottle tells a unifying and uplifting story of humanity

and hope.

Message In A Bottle is the latest masterpiece from the

ground-breaking creator behind West End hits Some

Like it Hip Hop, Into the Hoods, Everybody’s Talking

About Jamie (choreography) and SYLVIA (Old Vic), and

features the astonishing talents of dance storytelling

powerhouse, ZooNation:

This production was filmed in 2022.

TICKETS: £18 & £15

ALL MATINEES SCREENINGS AND ALL DAY SUNDAY SCREENINGS - £6.50 / EVENING SCREENINGS - ADULTS - £9 CONCESSIONS - £7


Care home unveils

impressive Banksystyle

mural to the

delight of its residents

AN INDEPENDENT arts

organisation has made a dream

come true for a care home as they

helped create a Banksy-style mural

for its residents.

W.Ave Arts in Bexhill answered

the call for help from Hastings Court

care home on The Ridge to create the

mural, and the design has now been

unveiled.

It features resident, Barbara Wood,

91, being lifted out of her wheelchair

by a Banksy-style balloon.

Hastings Court’s lifestyles assistant,

Dan Peacock, said: “The whole idea

came when I was walking in the

garden here with, Phil, one of our

residents from our memory care floor.

“He spotted another resident

sitting against the white wall in their

wheelchair. He remarked that it

looked like a Banksy.

“Phil hadn’t spoken for months

and such is Hastings Courts resolve

to accommodate all residents, we

immediately put out a plea on radio

and social media.

“Unfortunately, Banksy himself

didn’t climb over the wall under cover

of darkness and start spraying, and

we didn’t have the skills here to make

a mural of that size.

“Luckily, W.ave Arts came forward

and we’re thrilled with the result!”

Hastings Court is a 80-bed care

home providing residential, nursing

and memory care.

Dan and the residents were visited

by W.Ave Arts founder, Carol

Cook, to discuss their ideas and she

recommended the talents of Ajax

Piper, a muralist and artist based at

the studios in Bexhill Road.

Carol said: “The original idea for the

wall was a Banksy-style stencil but

when we looked at the photos Dan

and the team had taken of Barbara

lifting out of her chair, we agreed that

more realism would be better.

“Ajax’s murals have been featured

at events around the world including

Glastonbury Festival and the Envision

music festival in Costa Rica, so he

was the perfect choice to bring the

residents’ ideas to life.”

W.ave Arts is an non-profit

organisation working with and for the

community.

Ajax worked on the 6ft x 3ft painting

watched by visitors to the studios

who were fascinated to see the mural

progress.

Residents from Hastings Court

were among them, including model

Barbara, and Bruno Johnson, who

said it has been an amazing project to

be part of.

Bruno said: “We thought initially it

would just be a throw-away comment

about Banksy, but Dan ran with it and

he’s made it a reality.

“I can’t quite believe that we’ve had

the opportunity to be involved in

creating an iconic piece of artwork

but this is what life at Hastings Court

is like, you never know what’s going

to happen and what they will make it

possible to do.

“I’ve been fascinated to see Ajax at

work. It’s going to be wonderful to see

the mural every time I go out into the

garden. It will remind me of what an

experience it has been.”

Ajax, from Hastings, is committed

to making a tangible difference in

the community. He volunteers his

time and skills to causes close to his

heart, including recent efforts with

Care4Calais, where he helped deliver

emergency aid to refugees.

Ajax said: “I really enjoyed

completing this project for everyone

at the home.

“I feel very privileged to be able to

create work that depicts local people

and enhances spaces within the

community.”

Ajax unveiled the mural to residents

and staff in the garden at Hastings

Court to rapturous applause.

Protected by layers of varnish, it has

been installed on the wall, ready to be

The mural is now in place on the home’s wall in the garden

appreciated.

General Manager, Kaye Giles,

said: “We’ve done some amazing

things here, but this has to be the

best because it’s been driven by the

residents.

“This is their home and they should

be able to live the lives they want to

live. We’re very grateful to Carol and

Ajax for getting involved and making

this idea a reality.”

Dan said the collaboration has had

a significant impact on the residents

and will continue to do so now it’s in

situ.

He added: “It’s really empowering

for them to be able to make decisions,

express themselves and influence the

design of their home.

“Being up on the wall, it’ll remind

them every day of what they’ve

achieved. It will no doubt have an

impact on visitors to visit Hastings

Court, too.

“It’s an uplifting image in more ways

than one!”

Ajax Piper from W.Ave Arts working on the mural in his studio

The mural is unveiled

16 REGULARS

MAY 2024


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!

VERY TASTY SUNDAY ROAST

CERTAINLY HIT THE SPOT

HAVING LIVED in England for more

than 40 years there are two traditions

which have become staples of my

dining requirements.

A decent breakfast at what used to be

referred to as a “greasy spoon” is one,

the other being a decent Sunday roast.

Invariably both tend to be enjoyable.

Recently a friend suggested we try

Milligans for a roast dinner. Both my

partner and I were familiar with the

popular pub, having been there on

several occasions for a drink or two,

but we had never sampled their Sunday

lunch, so we booked a table.

Upon arrival the signs were good as it

was immediately apparent that every

table was booked and fortunately we

hadn’t just turned up unannounced.

Milligans is popular with a plethora

of regulars and has an enjoyable and

relaxed vibe. You are immediately made

to feel welcome.

The Sunday lunch menu is just what

you would expect with a choice of

beef, lamb, pork, chicken or a nut roast

as staples, plus assorted vegetables,

cauliflower cheese, Yorkshire puddings,

roast potatoes and extremely tasty gravy

As we settled at our table, we were

immediately impressed with the swift

service and warm welcome and our

drinks were served at our table within

minutes as we decided what to order.

I opted for my usual tipple of a large

Pino Grigio while my partner, who rarely

drinks alcohol, elected for a pint of Coke

which got both of our tastebuds tingling.

My partner decided on the beef with

all the trimmings (£13.95) and I, torn

between pork and chicken, eventually

went for the former.

We also asked for additional roasties,

which were perfectly crunchy, and

Yorkshires as our tummies were

rumbling having not had breakfast and

we were told that wouldn’t be a problem.

Well done for that we both agreed.

The success or failure of pubs largely

depends on atmosphere and good

service and Milligans scores well on both

counts.

Having placed our orders, we settled

back and waited for the food to arrive,

hoping it would deliver and it certainly

did.

My partner said her beef was both

tender and extremely tasty while the

pork delivered flavour in spades. Yum,

in a word.

Not being a dessert fan, it was left to

my partner, who has a sweet tooth, to

leave room for an extra treat and she

went for the sponge cake with ice cream.

There were happy murmurings

from her side of the table and, having

consumed every last morsel, she

declared it absolutely delicious.

It was also patently clear that our

fellow diners were equally satisfied

as a succession of empty plates were

transported back to the kitchen.

In no rush to leave, we opted for a

second round of drinks which again

were delivered to our table without fuss.

Finally, however, it was time to leave

and take a leisurely stroll along the

seafront to shed a few of the pounds we

had acquired.

Milligans bills itself as serving the

“best Sunday roast in Bexhill” and

on this evidence it would be hard to

disagree. We left with tummies full and

fully satisfied and all for less than £40

including drinks. Value for money? You

bet.

A special mention and plaudits must

also go to the staff who were uniformly

excellent. We will be making a return

visit for sure.

Milligans is situated in Wilton Road,

just a stone’s throw from the seafront

and is open seven days a week.

However, booking is advised for Sunday

lunch.

Tel: 01424 210208

www.milligansbar.com

Wilton Road, Bexhill On Sea, TN40 1HF

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

BEXHILL PCN HEALTH

& WELLNESS EVENT

THE BEXHILL Primary Care Network (PCN) are here to help

and support you alongside your GP surgery and local services

to give practical support and information.

PCN’s bring GP Practices together with other local services

such as community, mental health, social care and the

voluntary sector to look after local populations.

PCN’s help to join up services at a local level, focusing on

the specific needs of these local populations with patients still

accessing routine

GP appointments as they do now. Whether that will be to help

you through a diagnosis, provide support around a long term

medical or mental health condition, support for those caring for

others or help you achieve a healthy body and mind.

Whatever you need, we can support or signpost to groups

that can help you through every step of the way.

We want to improve the quality of care that we provide in

alignment with the need of our patient population.

We invite you to come along to meet

with your PCN Team and other local

community groups to find out what care

and support is available to you in your

Bexhill area.

Please join us on Wednesday

8th May from 10am to 2pm at the

De La Warr Pavilion. Our PCN Team

including Physiotherapists, Podiatrists and

Dietitians will all be available for

a chat. Event sponsored by Hastings Direct.

“Together we are working towards a

healthier community.”

Contact us at: www.bexhillpcn.nhs.uk

Telephone: 01424 231480 – Option 3

Email: sxicb-esx.bexhillpcn@nhs.net

X (formallyTwitter): @BexhillPCN

Latest local news, visit: Bexhill.News MAY 2024 REGULARS 17

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

The word ‘May’ is a perfumed word... It means youth, love, song; and all that is beautiful in life — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, journal, 1861.

MAY IS the month that we gardeners

all joyfully anticipate, foliage emerges

before our very eyes and the Garden is

full of texture, colour and birdsong.

Ferns are unfurling, new epimedium

foliage appearing as the flowers fade,

and lush green growth abounds. This

does also mean plants appearing in

unwanted places, we used to refer to

these as weeds, but this term is becoming

increasingly unfashionable and so I prefer

to use words such as wildflowers, selfseeders,

colonising plants etc.

When these grow in between paving,

some look charming such as forget me

not, and some do not-couch grass and

plantain for example. Hand weeding

paving and patio is very time-consuming

and also back-breaking and so, here

at Bates Green Garden we like to use

a flame gun aka a portable propane

torch, instead of going down the more

traditional herbicide route.

These are ideal for killing unwanted

plants from non-flammable areas and the

heat from the torch will immediately kill

annuals and biennials. For deeper, more

persistent tap roots, such as dandelions,

you will need to repeat the operation

at least a couple of times to ensure

eradication. Do it on a dry day and plan

Emma Tee & Alison making supports

your route carefully to prevent setting

fire to your garden!

Other regular jobs we do this month

include weekly examining and tying in

of all the clematis we grow here. They

have a mind of their own and really want

to go their own way, which may not be

the gardener’s plan. So, take some time

and some twine and enjoy this delicate

operation. It’s always good practice to

observe your plants regularly, and this

job will really pay off come the summer

months. Take the opportunity to feed

your clematis now too, use a potassium

rich fertiliser, rose food works well.

We have started making our plant

supports for sweet peas and tall

herbaceous plants using the hazel

that was coppiced in January. This is a

satisfying and creative task, it is always

better to prevent plants from collapsing

rather than attempting to prop up a

collapsed mess in the middle of a fullblown

summer border.

Here we have our two students, Alison

& Emm Tee in full flow! Tying in the sweet

A display of succulents Photo: John Glover

peas will be a weekly job now too.

Personally, I absolutely adore

succulents and have a vast collection

at home. We display them at Bates

Green too, making arrangements and

small groups here and there, using the

terracotta pots they thrive in for the best

effect. Their one main enemy is the vine

weevil, an insect that feeds on a wide

range of ornamental plants particularly

those grown in pots.

The adult vine weevil is approximately

9mm long, a dull black colour with

yellowish marks on the wing cases. But

it is their grubs that cause the most

damage to succulents, these are plump

and C-shaped with a brown head and

these creatures will munch through the

roots of your plants with voracity.

The adult beetles can easily be seen

at night should you care to go on a

nighttime hunt. Take a torch, lift the pots

and search for hiding places nearby. It

helps if you leave a few empty upturned

pots and saucers nearby, lift them and

you might see the adults lurking within.

The adults will be egg-laying soon, we

try to re-pot a rotation of succulents

every year in the summer months in

order to keep the plants looking fresh

and also to remove any of the larvae we

find in the compost. Then, at the end of

the summer, usually early September,

we drench the pots with predatory

nematodes in order to clean them up

before they go into their winter homes.

These are available to buy by mail

order and preferable to using any nasty

chemicals.

Our Wildflower Meadow is coming

up to its peak now, do visit us on a

Wednesday to enjoy a wander through

the mown paths. Plenty of seating

throughout too and good views of the

South Downs guaranteed.

An exciting addition in the sky is a pair

of red kites that have been seen both this

year and last in the Arlington area. We

see them nearly every day at the moment,

wheeling through the clouds with their

impressive six-foot wingspan.

Come along and bring your binoculars,

you might be lucky!

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18 ADVERTORIAL

MAY 2024


BEXHILL-ON-SEA TOWN

COUNCIL UPDATE

Cllr Brailsford and Community Leaders at Bexhill Mosque

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY

IN BEXHILL

MAYOR LYNN Brailsford attended

Bexhill Mosque along with

representatives of other faiths and

community leaders to celebrate

Iftar, the meal shared after sunset

to breatk the fasts during the holy

month of Ramadan. This was a

unique opportunity to learn about

other faiths in our town and to

give an understanding of the rich

diversity and unity of our Bexhill

Community.

ARCHERY WITH

BEXHILL AIR CADETS

2262 SQUADRON, Bexhill Air

Cadets (age range from 12 to 20

years old) meet twice a week at

Bexhill’s Drill Hall where they

are encouraged to take pride in

themselves, their squadron and

the community at large. They

are also encouraged to take part

in activities to give them the

opportunity to acquire skills which

are not usually on offer and to be

able to progress in the squadron

where they can also to gain B-Tec

qualifications in an environment

where they meet new friends.

The squadron applied to Bexhill

Town Council, who agreed to fund

the provision of archery equipment

to allow them to add this to their

Cllr Brailsford with Bexhill Air Cadets

range of activities. They recently held

an archery weekend when some

50 cadets used the equipment, and

they are now planning on repeating

this in the not too distant future.

Congratulations to 2262 Air Cadets

and thank you for offering this great

opportunity to young people in

Bexhill.

IMPROVING DEVONSHIRE

SQUARE PUBLIC

CONVENIENCES

IN A bid to enhance the public

amenities of Bexhill-on-Sea, the

Town Council has embarked on a

project to redesign and improve

the public toilets at Devonshire

Square. This initiative, which

aims to cater to the needs of both

residents and visitors, represents

a significant investment in public

infrastructure, prioritising

accessibility, hygiene, and

aesthetics.

Recognising the central role that

well-maintained public facilities play

in urban areas, the Town Council has

enlisted the expertise of a professional

public convenience firm. The focus is

not only on modernising the facilities

but also ensuring that they meet the

highest standards of environmental

sustainability and accessibility.

The new design includes features

such as comfort for families and

Bexhill Town Council have embarked on a project to redesign and improve Devonshire Square public conveniences

individuals with disabilities. Advanced

lighting solutions will enhance safety

and visibility, addressing community

concerns about public safety,

particularly during evening hours.

Aesthetically, the design firm will

give us some of the latest innovative

examples to consider. Sustainability is

a key component of the redesign. The

Town Council and the design team are

investigating water-saving fixtures and

energy-efficient lighting, significantly

reducing the environmental footprint

of the public toilets.

The Town Council is deeply

committed to community

involvement and has conducted

several rounds of consultations to

gather input from local residents

and businesses. These consultations

have helped shape the final designs,

ensuring they meet the expectations

and needs of the community. The

feedback mechanism will continue

throughout the project to guarantee

ongoing responsiveness to public

concerns and suggestions.

BEXHILL-ON-SEA TOWN

COUNCIL EMBARKS

ON NEIGHBOURHOOD

PLANNING: A CALL FOR

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

IN AN exciting development for

the local governance and future

planning of Bexhill-on-Sea,

the town council has recently

announced the initiation of

a Neighbourhood Plan. This

strategic move is not just about

planning policies or residential

development, but about giving the

community a voice in the shaping

of their town’s future. But what

exactly is a Neighbourhood Plan,

why is it beneficial, and how can

residents of Bexhill-on-Sea get

involved?

A Neighbourhood Plan is a

community-led framework used

for guiding the future development,

regeneration, and conservation of an

area. Recognised under the Localism

Act 2011, the plan allows residents to

have more say in where new houses,

businesses, and shops should go,

and what new buildings should look

like. It can also be used to protect

green spaces and influence the type

of infrastructure projects that will

benefit the community.

The benefits of a Neighbourhood

Plan are substantial. For a town

council like Bexhill-on-Sea’s, it

provides a legally binding tool that

ensures any development aligns

with the aspirations of the local

community. This alignment enhances

the suitability and effectiveness of

development, potentially leading to

higher property values, better local

services, and increased community

satisfaction. Moreover, the process

of creating the plan can strengthen

community cohesion, as it involves

diverse groups and individuals in

decision-making, fostering a stronger

sense of belonging and pride in their

locale.

Central to the development of

the Neighbourhood Plan is the

steering group. This group, typically

comprised of local councillors,

community leaders, and other

stakeholders, is tasked with

overseeing the planning process.

Their roles include gathering local

views through surveys and public

consultations, drafting the plan, and

ensuring that there is widespread

community engagement. The

steering group acts as the bridge

between the town council and the

community, ensuring that all voices

are heard and that the final plan

reflects the collective vision and needs

of the residents.

The Town Council is encouraging all

residents to get involved, regardless

of age, background, or how long they

have lived in Bexhill-on-Sea. The

success of the Neighbourhood Plan

hinges on it being truly representative

of the local community’s desires

and concerns. Participation

can vary from attending public

meetings, contributing to surveys,

or volunteering for the steering

group. Each contribution, no matter

how small, plays a part in shaping a

collective future.

If you would like to become a part

of our steering group please contact:

town.clerk@bexhilltowncouncil.gov.uk

FUTURE MEETING DATES

Annual General Meeting: 8th May.

Planning and Development

Committee: 15th May.

Finance and Audit Committee:

15th May.

We are currently holding our council

meetings at the Bexhill Senior Citizens

Club on Eversley Road. Meetings are

subject to change, so please check our

website for more information.

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

Latest local news, visit: Bexhill.News MAY 2024 REGULARS 19

FIVE MINUTES WITH…

DEL QUERNS, OF

MUSIC’S NOT DEAD

Del Querns runs successful What Do You Think Needs Improving

Bexhill record shop Music’s in Bexhill?

The water quality of the sea! What’s

Not Dead, with business

happened to our sea and beaches is

partner Oliver Cherer, which nothing short of criminal over the last

specialises in new vinyl. Del couple of years. It’s been a seaside

is also a member of popular town where you can’t go into the water

and it’s sad we live in a world where

Bexhill band OPD (Office for

shareholder profits are put above

Personal Development).

people’s safety. It’s had a detrimental

effect on the town, plus transport is a

nightmare when it comes to both trains

and roads.

How long have you lived in the area?

We moved to Bexhill early 2000’s after

living in London, so over the years I’ve

seen the town change quite a lot. Give it

another 30 years and I’ll be a local.

What Is It You Love About Bexhill?

Living by the coast is great, you can’t

beat a summer’s evening when everyone

else is packing up to go home and you

get to stay. The sunsets in winter are

spectacular, The De La Warr Pavilion

is fabulous. Even after 20 years the

architecture still floors me and I get to

work in it every day. Our customers are

great, we’re really lucky to have very

loyal and supportive regulars. People and

independent businesses try to make our

town a better place.

How Do You Visualise Bexhill in Ten

Years’ Time?

I really hope it will be thriving, thing’s

aren’t easy for seaside towns at the

moment, so hopefully it will turn around

a bit.

Tell Us About Your Business

Alongside Oliver Cherer we own

Music’s Not Dead in the De La Warr

Pavilion. We sell a range of new

vinyl records, new releases, classic

albums, and we also have a record

label which we started in 2022. We

also put on live music locally, featuring

recently the likes of Lucy Rose and

Emily Barker and we also had Record

Store Day in April, which proved to be a

huge success.

So many people of all ages are now

hugely into collecting vinyl and the

limited releases in Record Store Day

certainly drew in the crowds. We even

had a few people queuing up overnight

who were determined to get the albums

that they were desperate to add to

their collection. It proved to be a very

successful day for us and we were very

grateful for the support we received

from our customers

Del Querns (right) with business partner Oliver Cherer

Music’s Not Dead is located in the

foyer of the De La Warr Pavilion,

Marina, Bexhill, TN40 1DP.

Telephone: 01424 229 123

Opening hours: 10am to 5pm seven

days a week

www.musicsnotdead.com

PUZZLES

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Classroom

Teacher

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Friends

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Bell

ANSWERS

ACROSS

6 No question (2,6)

7 Young ---, eager for change (4)

8 Foggy (4)

9 Such lines never cross (8)

10 Retrieve (3,4)

13 Remote target? (2,3)

14 Walk noisily (5)

16 Middlingly (3,4)

20 Curt dismissal (5-3)

21 Sharp high-pitched resonant sound (4)

22 The beginning of cheese (4)

23 Broad-minded (8)

DOWN

1 In recent times (2,4)

2 Consecrated (4)

3 Henry Miller’s “--- of Cancer” (6)

4 Lehar’s widow (5)

5 Architectural feature usually found

near ceilings (6)

7 Israel’s economic centre (3,4)

11 Perplexed (7)

12 Range of knowledge (3)

15 Twisting force (6)

17 Recorded (2,4)

18 Spats (3-3)

19 Northamptonshire, to

Northumberland (5)

21 Tiny hole admitting passage

of a fluid (4)

20 REGULARS

MAY 2024


ON YOUR BIKE with Ian Hollidge

THERE IS SO MUCH CYCLING

FUN TO BE HAD IN SUSSEX

Cycling along the East Sussex coast

TRAVELLING AND exploring by cycling

is fun. There is nothing better than

enjoying the changing scenery from the

saddle, in fresh air and then resting for a

chat with friends over coffee and cake.

In East Sussex, we are blessed with

some excellent cycle routes connecting

places which enable people to travel

through our beautiful coastline and

countryside.

From Hastings to Eastbourne, via Bexhill

and Pevensey, along the Coastal Culture

Trail using National Cycle Network Route

2, you can stop off at numerous cafes,

pubs, art venues and restaurants.

Exploring 1066 Country will take you

to historic Battle with its Abbey or aim

for the ancient town of Rye with some

wonderful drinking holes. The joy is not

only in the destination but when cycling

it’s more about what you see enroute.

Our modern railways are a quick and

convenient way to reach starting points

or return in comfort and the operators

are very accommodating to cyclists.

Being close to nature, experiencing the

sights, aromas and sounds of our natural

environment is the best and easiest way

to tranquillity.

Being close to nature, cyclists can more

easily see the wood from the trees and

understand the birds and the bees.

During summer cycling gathers pace

and popularity. East Sussex is lucky to

have a new shared path route of excellent

quality, east of Lewes running parallel to

the A27.

Lewes is the natural stopover of

interest, as well as being the traditional

administrative centre for East Sussex.

The river Ouse flowing through provides

a pleasant view while visiting the local

brewery.

Each town has its own cycle group who

are connected via social media with the

common interest of cycling.

Bexhill Wheelers, 1066 Cycle Club,

Hastings Urban Bikes, Cycle Lewes,

Eastbourne Rovers and Bespoke are just

some of the local choices.

Each club holds regular rides with both

social and cycling events throughout

the year. There is a diverse mixture of

individuals who are able to offer help to

beginners starting along the way.

For those more experienced, there is

Hastings and St Leonards Cycling Club,

probably the oldest continuously active

club in the UK.

Most adult cyclists are also drivers,

however not all drivers are cyclists. This

cycling camaraderie on the roads means

we usually greet each other with a wave

or nod acknowledging our compatriots

This used to be the Pleasant Sunday

Afternoon way when driving back in the

day, a quick salute to mechanics riding a

motorbike and sidecar belonging to the

same club.

Civility, respect to all road users and

sharing with care, is what all East Sussex

cycle groups advocate.

In this Olympic year, you can travel

from London to Paris via Avenue Verte

taking in the Forest Way and the peaceful

Cuckoo Trail along NCN route 21.

You could visit Newhaven, Seaford,

Polegate, Hailsham and Heathfield or

divert to Uckfield or Crowborough, each

town a unique and worthwhile interesting

stop over.

Just as silent movies, cinema, radio, TV

and podcasts have not replaced books and

newspapers, bicycles have not been made

obsolete by cars. They are here to stay

and improve.

Future articles will explore the latest

developments in electric bikes and micromobility

as well as how these have the

potential to change the way we move with

cheaper and easier transport.

Next month is June with Bike Week and

a focus on events.

URGENT

APPEAL

WE NEED YOUR

HELP MORE

THAN EVER

HELP US

For family. For friends. For life.

Help us raise the final £1 million we need to buy

our air ambulance so we can save even more lives

Please donate today

SCAN the QR code to donate

VISIT aakss.org.uk/helicopter

CALL 0330 002 1842

SCAN TO

DONATE

ONLINE

Registered Charity No. 1021367

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22 ADVERTORIAL

MAY 2024


BEXHILL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND TOURISM UPDATE

CHAMBER ECHOES

Let’s get ready

to regenerate

AFTER MANY years of

campaigning, it is great to see

that Bexhill and Rother are now

attracting the level of Government

funding we deserve.

For far too long Bexhill has been

“left behind” (as the Government

say) but now with triple “Levelling

Up” funds totalling about £60m

being awarded to Bexhill across

three different initiatives we have an

opportunity to deliver real changes

for our community.

As part of the delivery process,

Bexhill Chamber alongside Rye and

Battle chambers, have worked closely

with the Department of Levelling Up

Housing and Communities (DLUHC),

RDC and other stakeholders to

develop business-led projects that can

be seed-funded from an initial small

pot awarded to all three Chambers.

At our Chamber, we have defined

three projects for Bexhill that when

carried through to realisation will

make a significant difference to

our town. People will be able to

see what we are doing to support

our community across the areas of

Heritage, public realm and business

growth.

As part of this strategy, we are

currently engaging with the business

community to assess needs and

priorities. It’s important that we

give businesses their say in how the

money is spent. We will be sending

out surveys, hosting focus groups

and meeting on a one-to-one basis

to ensure we deliver objectives that

will help lift our town out of the

deprivation that Bexhill Central and

Sidley are currently defined as being

in.

We are very pleased that the

Government has also recognised the

incredible value of the De La Warr

Pavilion as an iconic architectural

asset for the country as well as being

possibly the most valuable economic

driver for our town.

The recent investment of over £20m

in Government funding recognises

that a building of such unique design

and construction needs to be kept fit

for purpose and structurally robust

otherwise it will quickly become the

sort of derelict eyesore that blights

the seafronts of far too many other

seaside towns.

The investment in the De La Warr

is essential to keep Bexhill vibrant

and to drive a new regenerationfocused

dynamism. Not only will

the investment secure the future of

the building but it will also protect

the jobs of over 120 people and feed

directly into the town economy.

Without the DLWP and the hundreds

of thousands of people who visit it

every year, many businesses in the

town would be forced to close.

Of course, £60m sounds like a lot

of money and it certainly is, but in

the context of the work that needs to

be done to significantly regenerate

Bexhill, it should only really be

considered as a down payment on

the work we all need to do to attract

additional investment for bigger

projects like the destination leisure

centre, visitor accommodation and

high-speed rail link that are now

within our grasp. Let’s all get ready to

regenerate Bexhill and share in the

prosperity it will bring.

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Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid

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MONTHLY COST FROM £323.62

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Audi Q2 TFSi Sport

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Peugeot 308 PureTech

1.2, 130 Allure, petrol, manual,

34,400 miles, only ONE owner from

new, service history.


£9,575

Ford C-Max Zetec

1.0 EcoBoost, petrol, manual,


new, full main dealer history.


£17,525

Toyota Prius+ Excel

1.8 VVTi, 64,400 miles, petrol hybrid,

only ONE owner from new, full

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£14,985

Nissan X-Trail dCi 4WD

2.0, N-Connecta, diesel, 80,200

miles, only ONE owner from new,

full main dealer history.


£11,680

Honda Jazz i-VTEC

1.3, petrol, manual, 58,900 miles,

only ONE owner from new, full

main dealer service history.


£8,725

Vauxhall Astra Design

1.6 CDTi 16v, diesel, manual, 87,600


full service history.


£17,250

BMW 320d M Sport

2.0, diesel, auto, 72,000 miles, only

ONE owner from new, full service

history, new MoT.


£13,995

Toyota Rav-4 Business

2.0, diesel, manual, 70,000 miles,

only ONE owner from new, comprehensive

service history.


£12,600

Ford Focus Zetec

1.5, diesel, automatic, 58,400 miles,

only ONE owner from new, service

history, new MoT.


£8,520

Dacia Sandero SCe

1.0, Essential model, petrol, 40,000

miles, only TWO owners from new,



£17,250

BMW 435i M Sport

Auto, 40,500 miles, petrol, only TWO

former owners from new, service

history, new MoT.


£13,995

Volkswagen Golf TSi

1.5, EVO SE, petrol, manual, 32,500




£12,555

Citroen C3 PureTech



history, new MoT.


£11,490

Vauxhall Corsa SE



history, new MoT.


£7,930

Vauxhall Corsa Design

1.4, petrol, manual, only ONE owner

from new, full service history,

new MoT.


£16,880

BMW X3 X-Drive SE

Diesel, auto, 112,600 miles, only

ONE owner from new, full main

dealer service history.


£13,990



only ONE owner from new, main

dealer service history, new


£12,220

Ford Focus ST-Line



new, full service history.


£10,155

Ford Focus ST-Line





£13,980

Kia Ceed GDi ISG

1.0T, petrol, manual, 35,100 miles,

only ONE owner from new, main

dealer service history,


£13,350

Nissan Qashqai

1.2, N-Connecta model,

petrol, 26,500 miles, only ONE owner

from new, main dealer history.


£12,200

Seat Ibiza FR Sport

1.0 TSi 115, petrol, manual, 67,000


service history, new MoT.


£9,999

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£13,920

Volkswagen Tiguan

Diesel, manual, 48,100 miles, only

ONE owner from new, full main

dealer service history, BlueMotion

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£13,875

Ford Tourneo Courier

Diesel, 1.5 Zetec, manual, 28,200


full main dealer service history.


£13,550


1.2, Active model, 19,400 miles, only

ONE owner from new, main dealer

service history, new MoT


£13,530

BMW 330d xDrive

SE, diesel, automatic, 63,300 miles,


service history.


£13,390

MINI Cooper Classic II



service history. MONTHLY

COST FROM £265.42

Ford C-Max Zetec

1.0 EcoBoost, petrol, manual, only

ONE owner from new,

comprehensive service history.


SOLD

£13,350

SOLD

Ford Fiesta ST-Line

EcoBoost model, petrol, manual,


new, main dealer history.


£12,999

Volkswagen Polo Evo

1.0 80 SE, 5-door, 26,800 miles,

petrol, manual, two owners from



£11,355

Vauxhall Crossland

1.2 Turbo, petrol, manual, 42,500

miles, one company owner from



£6,480


1,2 Collection model, 5-door, 69,600

miles, petrol, manual, two owners

from new, new MoT.


£15,998

Ford Puma Hybrid

1.0 EcoBoost Hybrid, mHEV, Titanium,

one owner from new, 35,500

miles, petrol, maual.


£4,825

Citroen C3 Picasso

1.6 HDi, 8V, 5-door, Two owners

from new, 70,600 miles, diesel,

service history.


SOLD

24 REGULARS

MAY 2024


OPINION with Kim Mayo

WHY OWNING A CAR THESE DAYS IS

DRIVING ME ABSOLUTELY CRAZY

THERE IS absolutely no point in owning

a car these days unless you thrive on

the prospect of endless nightmares.

I have been driving for more than 40

years now but have made a momentous

decision. Once my current car’s MoT runs

out early next year it will herald the end

of my time behind the wheel.

Ever since I passed my driving test back

in the Eighties, I have had an enduring

love affair with cars of all shapes and

sizes, but no more. It is time to quit in the

not-too-distant future.

Motoring in no longer a pleasure. In

fact, it is a chore of epic proportion for a

number of reasons, several of which I will

outline here.

I owned several classic Minis when you

could whizz about without a care in the

world, negotiating uphill and down dale

without having to change gear for miles

on end. Pure bliss in a nutshell. But no

more.

Eventually I sold my beloved Mini when

someone I knew, another committed

Mini fan, was killed in an accident. Had

he been driving any other sort of car he

would almost certainly have survived the

impact.

That was the catalyst to become more

Volvo V50 estate — a £500 bargain?

sensible in my fifties, so I took on my

elderly father’s automatic Citroën C4 and

swiftly realised it wasn’t for me.

Nothing wrong with the car per se; it

was reliable and comfortable, but by God

was it boring to drive. Someone once

stated that automatics are for people who

can’t drive and I can only subscribe to

that viewpoint.

I felt old before my time so then opted

for a Mazda MX-5 which, despite being

described as a “hairdresser’s car” by

motoring snobs, it is actually anything

but.

It served me well for more than a

decade but like most low-slung sports

cars it suffered horribly from rust to its

sills, to the extent it was falling apart, so it

had to go too.

Finally, it was time to admit to the

inevitable; namely that it was time to

become sensible when it came to my next

car.

As I pondered what to buy my brother

told me that he was upgrading his Volvo

V50 estate and he would sell it to me

for a bargain £500. Cripes, I thought, a

Volvo? Well, why not?

And so, it came to pass. I became the

epitome of Middle England motoring.

Volvo man. I had become what I had

previously hated. A boring motorist, but

what the hell.

I have always been ridiculously loyal

to my cars and that has also been the

case with the Volvo, which has cost me

thousands of pounds in repairs over the

past decade.

Indeed, just prior to its latest MoT the

clutch went, resulting in a bill of more

than £1,000. By some miracle it passed

its latest inspection, but it is now on

borrowed time. Come next year it will

have to go and that will be it. I will never

buy another car. Enough is enough.

Will I miss driving? No, I won’t. Not one

iota. I’m heading towards a free bus pass

so bring it on and the sooner the better.

Driving on roads in East Sussex is an

absolute joke and a bad one at that. There

are potholes everywhere, to the extent

that it is akin to competing in the Paris-

Dakar Rally. If you don’t need to employ a

chiropractor at the end of a journey then

count yourself lucky.

There are endless traffic jams even on

short trips and if you happen to exceed

the extensive 20mph speed areas then

there is every chance you will cop a hefty

fine.

Then there is parking, or rather lack of

available spaces. You have forked out for

a residents’ parking permit, but you leave

the space you have vacated at your peril.

My partner and I recently went

shopping which necessitated going by

car and when we got back it took us 40

minutes to get parked within walking

distance of our home. That was the final

straw which broke the camel’s back.

So, henceforth, we will let the train take

the strain. There is but one fly in

the ointment, however, because they

always seem to be on strike. Which

means there may yet be a reprieve for the

Volvo. Its final trip to the knacker’s yard

has been put on hold for the time being

at least.

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26 SPORT

MAY 2024


Catherine Crombie, London Marathon, 2024

Martyn Angus,

Brighton Marathon

Laura Ward,

Brighton Marathon, 2024

BRT Senior and Junior Club Runners, Hastings Half Marathon, 2024

BRT fly the flag in London,

Boston, Brighton and Hastings

BY JACKIE KNIGHT

AMID THE thousands of athletes at

the 2024 London Marathon, several

Bexhill Runners and Triathletes

Club members flew the flag for

Bexhill.

BRT stars who battled the 26.2

miles and achieved record breaking

individual results were William Carey

in 2hr 47min 12sec, Tom Brampton

(3:43:23), Catherine Crombie (4:09:27),

Ali Marsham (4:13:20) and Helen

Goddard (4:12:28).

Boston was the stopover for Oliver

Carey, who remained determined

despite the heat wave and finished

with a fabulous time of 3:22:13 in the

city’s famous marathon. Returning

home to Blighty, the sun was out for

our next marathon runners who

battled the renowned Brighton coastal

course. Martyn Angus, in 5:11:02,

and Laura Ward, with 5:13.06, were

cheered home.

The 40th Hastings Half Marathon

gave many BRT runners an inspiring

spring time encounter, entrenched in

history and rewarded with fabulous

community support. Many dedicated

runners took on additional challenges

to support chosen charities including

Richard Byrne (1:51:29), Sarah Oliver

(2:16:15), Claire Overfield (2:16:15),

Zak Overfield (2:16:14) and Joanna

Swap (2:19:58) for the Evie-Lily

Charity. They raised £700. Lianne

Fournaando ran in support of the

guide dog charity and raised £900.

This was also in memory of a dear

friend, Steve Chamberlain, and the

club is grateful to all sponsors and

their generous donations.

On a fantastic day, superb runs

were enjoyed by William Carey, who

smashed it in 1:15:59, as well as Jack

Matthews (1:31:48), James Allen

(1:32:19), Dan Marsham (1:39:48),

Kimberley Hitchens (1:40:50), Grant

Docksey (1:45:29), Jeremy Sankey

(1:46:35), Neil Smith (1:47:45), Geoff

Tondeur (1:50:44), David Palmer

(1:51:02), Catherine Crombie

(1:54;03), Charlotte Elliot (1:53:58),

Gary Miles (1;54:57), Paul Zipperlen

(1:56:16), Matt Smith (1:58:23),

Antinio Serrano (2:03:22), Amanda

Tondeur (2:10:58), Dagmara Ginter

(2:12:34), Andrea Harwood (2:16:14),

Laura Ward (2:20:46), Pam Matthews

(2:34:19) and Kai Bossom (2:41:34).

Carole Cranthern deserves special

mention after clocking 1:46:42 and

a superb second place in the female

age category. final cheer for our BRT

juniors who entered the mini race.

Rafael Serrano smashed 00:07:15,

Ksenia McCrae was close behind with

00:08:19 and Eva Harwood clocked

00:08:41. Huge congratulations to all.

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

H & B edged out in

Sussex Senior Salver final

Sidley excited by return to

league action on home turf

Skipper Berwick Smith with the H & B team

MATCH REPORT AND

PICTURE: PETER KNIGHT

A SPIRITED second-half

fightback could not prevent

Hastings and Bexhill 2nd XV

suffering an agonising 33-29

defeat to Shoreham II in the

Sussex Senior Salver.

H & B fielded a squad with an equal

mixture of youth and experience

as the Sussex finals were hosted by

Seaford Rugby Club.

With the wind at their backs,

Shoreham pinned H & B into their

own 22 in the first half and eased

into a 33-12 half-time lead. H &B

scored two good tries of their own.

The first came from former firstteam

stalwart Mark Piotrowski and

the even more experienced Tony

Roche crashed over for the second,

with Luke Maddox making a good

job of converting Roche’s try.

The Hastings coaches introduced

some fresh legs at the break and

playing with the wind it was H&B’s

turn to dominate the play.

Leighton Mapstone scored a

good try from a lineout deep in the

Shoreham half. Tom Jones crossed

under the posts and very quickly

added the conversion with a dropkick.

With only seconds left to play,

the Hastings forwards crossed again

to bring their total agonisingly close

to Shoreham’s.

Shoreham and H&B both scored

five tries but Shoreham landed

four conversions to Hastings’ two

and those four points were the

difference between the sides.

The Hastings and Bexhill team all

tried hard and had several notable

performances. Former first-team

skipper Jimmy Adams had an

excellent game dominating the

lineout and making several surging

runs in the midfield, Tony Roche

propped with all his old skill and

Hudson Wales showed flair and speed

on the wing as is one for the future.

BY MIKE LEGG

JAMIE RAMSDEN admits it will

be a “sentimental moment” when

Sidley start this summer’s league

cricket season at their new home.

Although a memorial match was

played at the end of last season to

christen the St Mary’s Lane ground,

the business starts for real this month

with the nomadic club again playing

their league matches in the village

after more than a decade away since

leaving Gullivers.

Sidley will host Royal Hastings in

East Sussex League Division 11 East

(South) on May 18 in their first home

fixture. The season itself begins with a

trip to Bexhill Strikers a week before.

Vice-president and groundsman

Ramsden, a driving force behind the

club’s return, said: “We did a quiz

night in the village and a lot of people

said they could not wait to walk up

and see us on a Saturday.

“It will almost feel like reinstating

the old Gullivers days by getting the

local people to support the local club

on a Saturday afternoon with a cup of

tea and piece of cake in hand.

“The first league home match

is going to be a real sentimental

moment for me because there have

been a lot of people who have always

Sidley are prepared for the new season

doubted us getting back into Sidley, so

to be able to be playing league cricket

back up there in the middle of the

village after 11 years is exciting.

“We cannot wait to get going.

Although there is an awful of work

still to be done behind the scenes, that

can all be absorbed as the summer

takes shape on what, hopefully, looks

to be a decent season for us.”

On the field, moving back up

the divisions is the long-term aim.

Ramsden’s cousin, Stephen, will

skipper the first team again and Ian

Mollart will lead the 2nd XI league

side.

Ramsden said: “We have a good

squad, and the aim is always to get the

first team up through the divisions

in a relatively decent time over the

next few years to keep building the

progress of the club.

“If we sat round the table and asked

what the first-team target would be,

it would be to get promoted this year

that’s for sure. Player-wise, we’ve

recruited five or six decent cricketers

who will strengthen the first team

squad.

“And we have a huge buzz this year

because a lot of our juniors who

started with us at seven or eight will

qualify to play league cricket. So, what

a great season for them, their first

of league cricket at the brand-new

ground. We have been training with

them since February and they are

absolutely buzzing to get up there.”

Plenty of work has been done at

the recreation ground during a wet

winter by Ramsden and the club

volunteers. The changing room — an

adapted shipping container — has

been fitted out with benches and

painted in readiness, while a kitchen

has also been installed.

Ramsden said: “We have had quite a

proactive winter. Despite the weather

being shocking up there, after the

construction work we did the cricket

square hasn’t had a puddle on it all

winter. That goes to show that the

work was done successfully.”

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28 SPORT

MAY 2024


Sport

Ups and downs

for Common

Bexhill boss Wright

learns the hard way

Bexhill and Little Common in action and boss Wright (inset)

RUSSELL ELDRIDGE admitted

Little Common’s season has been

one of frustration despite another

mid-table finish in the SCFL

premier.

Common finished with a thumping

4-1 home win over Loxwood to seal

12th place - one position below last

season’s finish. Alvin Scott, Jack

McLean, Adam Smith and Archie

Warmington got the goals.

A 2-0 win over local rivals Bexhill

courtesy of Jack Thoms and Alfie

Lambden, started the month

perfectly but narrow losses followed

to Haywards Heath, Lingfield and

Eastbourne United, as well as a 4-1

defeat to Crawley Down.

The run possibly summed up much

of the campaign and player-boss

Eldridge said: “We are mid-table but

not with as many points as last season,

so you can say that is pretty steady.

“There have been times when it’s

been really good this season, with

good results and good performances,

but there’s also been times when it has

been the opposite.

“In terms of the squad, it’s been a

season of development as we have

lost players but that has allowed us to

bring in some of our younger players.

That has given them experience

which will, hopefully, help us and

them going into next season.”

A long-term injury to first-choice

keeper Matt Cruttwell hindered the

team this term.

Eldridge added: “Matt is as good

any keeper in the league. Losing him

early on and then using nine different

keepers tells its own story as that is a

position it is important you get settled.

“That was an issue but I’m not one

of those managers to make excuses

because you could make them every

game. You have to make do with what

you’ve got and that’s on me and the

boys and sometimes we fell below

where we needed to be and sometimes

we exceeded where we needed to be.

“All in all, it’s been a frustrating

season as we’ve lacked that bit of extra

quality where we’ve needed it, so that’s

something we shall look to address

moving forward.

“There’s been highs in terms

of performances but some lows,

although, you can probably count

on one hand the times when we’ve

had a real beating. We’ve been pretty

consistent and competitive in most

games.”

Lewis Parsons, who passed the

200-game milestone for the club this

season, has hung up his boots.

MIKE LEGG

PHOTOS: JOE KNIGHT/

SEASIDE PHOTOGRAPHY

JOHN WRIGHT admits his first

season in senior management at

Bexhill United has been a massive

learning curve.

The Pirates closed their campaign

last Saturday with a 3-1 loss at

Horsham YMCA to finish two places

above the only relegation spot in the

Southern Combination premier this

season.

It has been a season of struggle for

Wright and assistant Shane Lovell

since stepping up from the successful

under-18 and under-23 set-up with

injuries and the exit of key players

all having a significant impact in

their first experience of senior

management.

And Wright said: “It’s been tough,

it’s been difficult but I’ve learnt more

this year than I have in my previous 20

years in coaching.

“I have learnt a lot about players and

how important money is at this level.

There are some big budgets which we

can’t and won’t compete with as we’re

little old Bexhill and trying to manage

ourselves well both on and off the

pitch.

“That has been a big eye-opener

because at step five a player will down

tools and move if he can get another

£10 or £15 a game. It is quite cutthroat.”

Wright has had to rely on many of the

youngsters he had at under-18 level

also making the step up on a regular

basis this term.

He added: “The big thing for us

this season is despite the number of

injuries we have suffered, and the

number of players leaving the club

which led us to playing under-18s

and under-23s, the players have still

managed to keep us up.

“With the squad we had in preseason

we had high hopes of where we

could finish. But we lost four players

in pre-season, with three going to

Isthmian football, and then we lost

Tom Vickers and Harvey Mapstone

after a few games. That was the spine

of the side and a lot of our experience,

and we knew it was going to be tough.

“We went into most games with a 16-

man squad including ten or 11 being

teenagers, so you can take positives

and negatives out of that. We’ve lost

a lot of games in injury time and that

is probably down to the youngsters

lacking experience and also a lack

Bexhill striker Evan Archibald signs off

of cover on the bench but they have

also pulled us through some difficult

times.

“For some strange reason, we’ve

competed with all the teams at the

top and should have beaten all the

top six but we’ve struggled against

those at the bottom. I think we’re a

good footballing team and the teams

at the top allow you to play a bit of

football while those at the bottom

are scrapping for their lives and the

younger players struggled against that

spit and sawdust mentality a bit.

“Most of those youngsters were with

me as under-18s and under-23 and

won everything. They were used to

winning week after week but having

now gone full circle, it will do them the

world of good and they will have learnt

so much from it.”

Striker Evan Archibald, who rejoined

the club at the start of March and

helped fire United to safety, was given

a guard of honour at the last home

game and has now hung up his boots.

OBWFC take league title

with games to spare

BY ROB CAREY

THE OLD Bexhillians Walking

Football Club Over 50s team have

emulated the feat of the club in

2018 and 2019 by winning the

SCWF East Sussex League for the

second year running.

They are likely to face Worthing

WFC from the West Sussex League for

the grand title of Sussex champions.

Although in a different format

from those early days of the club’s

league adventures, the OBs have

sealed the title with games to spare

as their nearest challengers cannot

catch them up. The champagne is on

ice, though, as the club’s other side,

Little Common Wonderers, are also

chasing glory.

A club spokesman said: “Whilst

of course the achievements of the

OBWFC team are a great reason for

celebration, the full impact of their

magnificent title win will really sink in

if the other club side, Little Common

Wonderers, achieve the runners-up

spot and join the club in having two

teams compete against West Sussex

clubs.”

The league success has given added

impetus to the club’s Over 50s, 60s and

70s squads soon to be competing in

the WFA National Cup games.

A club spokesperson said: “With

a club like ours, it is of paramount

importance that although walking

football was invented for the Over 50s,

the actual playing age has no limits.

You play up to whatever age you

are able to do so. Hence the various

age categories for the national cup

competitions.”

The club also held a tournament

at Little Common Rec featuring two

clubs from Scotland, Eastbourne Boro

WFC, Bexhill Seniors and a couple of

Over 50s squads.

The club holds its golf day at

Highwoods this month. Details on

joining the club can be obtained

from chairman Mick Davies on

mickdavies48@gmail.com or 07961

008743.

The club has members from early

50s to late 70s and is also seeking to

generate a thriving ladies’ section for

those over 40.

Bexhill News May 2024 Issue 23

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