Q: What’s it like to live in Hastings? Run to the sea in the morning, play football in the park. Go to the playground, watch trains coming and going, throw stones from the Pier to the sea.   Pla & On

Q: Imagine Hastings is the only place in the world where you can travel back in time, describe where you go and what it is like when you get there.  9.59 am I am on the beach with my mother and brother. On the way we drop into the Library. We took out a Billy Bunter Book. It had a picture on a yellow dust jacket and cost 8 shillings and 6 pence if bought at W. H. Smith On the beach I would wear thick blue woolen swimming trunks and have to wait over an hour after I’d eaten my sausage rolls, lemon curd sandwiches and milky coffee. A man would walk along the beach shouting,”All the ladies from London.” In fact much later, I found out that he was shouting “All the latest from London.” 

The men on the beach wore grey trousers with turn ups, shirts, read newspapers. Another man sold ice creams from a wooden box around his shoulder. My brother and I took a lilo out on the sea. I was nine year’s old. My Uncle Percy is with us, wearing grey trousers with turn ups. He’s drinking a cup of tea when suddenly he ducks down to the beach and pulls a small child from the water. He saved the child’s life.  Brendan Summers

Q: Where is the best shopping for local produce, arts and crafts in Hastings? Supermarket for reasonably priced fruit and veg on Queen’s Road, Hastings. Arts and crafts – High Street, Hastings, lots of quirky shops. “Made in Hastings” is a bit expensive though. I like the craft fairs in St Clement’s Church. The Fishermen’s Museum sell nice bits and pieces.   Candy B

Q: Indoors, outdoors, on rainy days, sunny days, what are the best things to do in Hastings? Having spent holidays in Hastings as a child, on sunny days outdoors we would go to the beach and swim or even watch the hovercraft float out of the sea onto the beach doing trips over to France. We would also swim in the outdoor lido at St Leonards or take the funicular from the Old Town. Eating cockles off little saucers was an absolute treat – but don’t forget the vinegar. The boating lake in the Old Town was also visited often! Wet days always made the restaurant owners happy as everyone would go the Fish and Chip shops to eat. On the Pier there was a ballroom and I remember standing on a bench looking in through the window and watching a group called, “The Apple Jacks” perform.   Millie

Q: Does Hastings feel like home to you or do you just happen to live here? I moved to Hastings 11 years ago. I feel very at home with my family. Both children have been born here. We have a wonderful life with many friends. We play on the beach in the rock pools and the miniature railway on the seafront and in Alexandra Park. We shop in the Old Town for our bread in Penbuckley. We play in the Adventure Playground in Ore with our friends. I don’t think we will ever leave. My Scottish husband wanted to live in France but the Channel got in the way. They say if you take a stone with a hole you will always stay.    Sally

Q: If you could redesign Hastings, what would it look like? I would like to have a swimming pool (open air one) by the seaside, with warm water for all seasons. So when the sea water is too cold, we can still have lots of fun. I would like to have lifts for free on both the East Hill and West Hill. More places to go for children. More job opportunities. I would plan for better services for rough sleepers who often use the seafront areas. More family activities.  Katerina

Many thanks to Tippy David and Tippy Paul for making tea and washing up!