Bexhill News, May 2024, Issue 23

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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

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

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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.

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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

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.”

Steve Hall is a local cartoonist drawing inspiration from Bexhill and the sea. His cards, books and other items

Lewes Crown Court. Photo: Paul Gibson

Record Store Day proves once again that vinyl is not dead

PHOTOS:

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

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.

JTP53

Del Querns, Nikki Gedney and Oliver Cherer

Diehard music fans Simon Smith, Lewis Ikin and Leo the dog The Near Jazz Experience

Local band The Longshore Drifters

Oliver Cherer, co-owner of Music’s Not Dead, enjoying Record Store Day success. Photo from Music’s Not Dead Facebook page

Enthusiastic vinyl fans at Record Store Day

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

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

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

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

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

Lynn and Jim Langlands receive their award from Mayor, Lynn Brailsford Residents of Marine Court Mansions show off their award

Permanent plaque is

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

family at her favourite Devonshire Road restaurants, including Trattoria Italiana and Picasso Express, both

commemorate her life had a plethora of stories to share and agreed the much-loved member of the

permanent reminder of Marie’s long association with the town and her deep affection for its residents.

Members of the Sussex Deaf Association

Marie Warner

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

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.

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

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

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

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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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Bexhill Museum. Photo: Alexis Markwick, via Wikimedia Commons

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.

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.

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.

Emergency services were called to the scene where the driver of the

white Ford Fiesta was trapped in his vehicle.

The victim had to be cut free from the wreckage and has suffered lifechanging injuries.

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

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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

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

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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Raymond Konyn receiving a Mayor’s Civic Award. Photo Bexhil Maritime

Town Councillor Lynn Brailsford

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. www.littlecommonbexhillplayers.co.uk

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 by dementia? Do you have a question

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

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

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.

Rebranded pub is aiming to

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.”

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.”

left: Elisa Uludag, Bexhil Chamber

Commerce President Howard and Agnes,

bar manager

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

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/

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

Ha

visit stmichaelshospice.com

01424 456396

Registered chari

Creation

Children enjoying the interactive classes Photo supplied by The Creation Station

The classes encourage children to be creative Photo supplied by The Creation Station

Laura Baker

Second World War pilot celebrates his 100th birthday

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 was transferred to India where he flew troops and supplies into Burma.

Back in civvy street Rocky became

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.

CARPET SHOP

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 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.

The Little Commoners are hosting a Veteran Fish and Chips dinner

Albert Stone, also known as Rocky

Rocky celebrating his 100th birthday with friends

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.

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.

More than 51 casualties from the two World Wars are buried at Bexhill Cemetery.

As a result, 2024 is a significant year for commemoration and the CWGC has launched The Legacy of Liberation campaign to mark the

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.

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

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.

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.

CALL

OFFICE ON 01323 841414 E: info@hailshampavilion.co.uk W: hailshampavilion.co.uk

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.

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

Bexhill Cemetery. Photo supplied by Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Inside Bexhill Cemetery. Photo supplied by Commonwealth War Graves Commission

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

A special mention and plaudits must also go to the staff who were uniformly excellent. We will be making a return

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

ADVERTISER PROMOTION

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

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 —

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

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

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

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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!

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, journal,

Emma Tee & Alison making supports

A display of succulents Photo: John Glover

BEXHILL-ON-SEA TOWN COUNCIL UPDATE

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.

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

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

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

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.

Cllr Brailsford and Community Leaders at Bexhill Mosque

Cllr Brailsford with Bexhill Air Cadets

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

DEL QUERNS, OF MUSIC’S NOT DEAD

Del Querns runs successful Bexhill record shop Music’s Not Dead, with business partner Oliver Cherer, which specialises in new vinyl. Del is also a member of popular Bexhill band OPD (Office for Personal Development).

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.

PUZZLES

What Do You Think Needs Improving in Bexhill?

The water quality of the sea! What’s happened to our sea and beaches is nothing short of criminal over the last couple of years. It’s been a seaside town where you can’t go into the water and it’s sad we live in a world where shareholder profits are put above 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 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

SUDOKU

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

WORDSEARCH – SCHOOL

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

CROSSWORD

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)

Marina, Bexhill, TN40 1DP.

Telephone: 01424 229 123

Opening hours: 10am to 5pm seven days a week www.musicsnotdead.com

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)

Del Querns (right) with business partner Oliver Cherer

THERE IS SO MUCH CYCLING

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

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,

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.

Cycling along the East Sussex coast

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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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

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.

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?

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 ParisDakar Rally. If you don’t need to employ a chiropractor at the end of a journey then

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

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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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

H & B edged out in Sussex Senior Salver final

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

friend, Steve Chamberlain, and the club is grateful to all sponsors and their generous donations.

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

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),

(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

Sidley excited by return to league action on home turf

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.

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.

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

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.”

Skipper Berwick Smith with the H & B team

Sidley are prepared for the new season

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

Laura Ward, Brighton Marathon, 2024

Martyn Angus, Brighton Marathon Catherine Crombie, London Marathon, 2024

Sport

Bexhill boss Wright learns the hard way

Ups and downs for Common

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.

times.

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

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 16man 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

“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.

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.

“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

“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.

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 and Little Common in action and boss Wright (inset)

Bexhill striker Evan Archibald signs off