Shop opening days and times

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shiggers
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Shop opening days and times

Postby shiggers » Tue Mar 03, 2015 6:51 pm

Please can someone tell me whether smaller independent shops and cafes in the Old Town are open on weekdays? I am planning to visit tomorrow (Wednesday) but as I live 1.5 hours away, I don't want to come and find shops are closed or closing early. Thanks!

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moonjiver
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Re: Shop opening days and times

Postby moonjiver » Fri Mar 06, 2015 9:29 am

I couldn't resist answering this. Are there any shops anywhere which can afford to not actually be open?! I wonder what would be the point ..?

In the Old Town, as anywhere else, most shops are open during normal hours (a few might close at, say, 4pm in winter). Few seem to have an early-closing day.

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Gerry Glyde
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Re: Shop opening days and times

Postby Gerry Glyde » Fri Mar 06, 2015 10:03 am

I have not heard of the concept of an early closing since the late 1960s.

In Hastings, Wednesday early closing coincided with Hastings Grammar half day Wednesday, which to the chagrin of Grammar Boys, meant that they had to go to school in uniform on a Saturday morning to compensate for the missed afternoon.

"Posh" Grammar boys used to get taunted by secondary lads in their ordinary clothes on a Saturday, especially those wearing traditional school caps, who might find the cap being used as a frisbee.

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moonjiver
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Re: Shop opening days and times

Postby moonjiver » Fri Mar 06, 2015 11:18 am

When I came to Hastings in 2000, some shops in Bexhill were still closing on a Wednesday afternoon and the town was half-dead. Doesn't seem to happen now, everywhere was open last Wednesday.

Yes, I used to go to school (Dulwich College - same as the UKIP guy!) on Saturday mornings. They ended it soon afterwards. I quite enjoyed the snobbery of going there on Saturdays - felt I looked like a "serious" student! They had stone footbaths and cold water too in the changing rooms - the sixties changed all that stuff too.

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Richard
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Re: Shop opening days and times

Postby Richard » Fri Mar 06, 2015 9:17 pm

Some of the shops in the old town have slightly peculiar opening times, such as 'closed Mondays' and some only open towards the weekend, when trade becomes more brisk, but basically they can open and close when they like since they are not High Street 'chains'.

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moonjiver
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Re: Shop opening days and times

Postby moonjiver » Sat Mar 07, 2015 12:31 am

Yes, to be honest, there are a very few shops which have odd opening times. Most are pretty normal I think, but one little old guy selling craftworks, hand-drums etc. opens on days when he feels like it - he must be happy with that coz he calls it the Happy Shop!!

And a very good leather shop is often closed on a busy and sunny day, but then opens up for an hour at the end of the afternoon!

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Richard
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Re: Shop opening days and times

Postby Richard » Thu Mar 12, 2015 8:45 pm

If you keep an eye on various shops in the Old Town you will notice they change hands fairly fequently.
There is much more experimentation afoot to find a specialist niche market.
This can add to the unpredictable estimates of opening hours.
Of course over "on the Dark Side" (the other side of the underpass) it's another matter altogether as they tend to be 'High Street Chains' or generally bigger commercial entities.

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moonjiver
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Re: Shop opening days and times

Postby moonjiver » Thu Mar 12, 2015 11:12 pm

I don't rate the Council's "vision" highly I am afraid, after seeing the way that a chunk of the town centre has been homogenised into the usual bland urban landscape of concrete office blocks and college buildings. Not appropriate for a small historic seaside town and the "half-finished" station is pretty ugly.

The shopping centre has also been modernised but strangely I feel they actually got it about right. I did rather feel the cricket ground was anachronistic in the centre of a town, whereas the Priory Meadow complex is quite attractive, small and much more intimate than many other huge soulless precincts I have seen.

So, back to the Old Town and that is one of the nicest things about Hastings, the way that St L., the town centre and the Old Town are like a collection of villages each with their own identity and character. I fervently hope that the Old Town will remain eccentric and different, allowed to go its own way without too much interference from town planners and other modernisers.

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Richard
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Re: Shop opening days and times

Postby Richard » Fri Mar 13, 2015 10:46 am

Yes,there was just a shabby collection of run-down shops, with no focus, before the Priory Meadow was developed, and this sort of shopping mall idea can be found in numerous seaside towns who have make an effort to attract tourists.
There were some mistakes along the sea front with stuff like 'Ocean House', which would not receive permission nowadays.
I don't see why it can't be pulled down one day very soon.

As Hastings is so reliant on tourism, other ideas had to win through, such as the business- quarter towers and outpost-college buildings,towards the top of Havelock Road and since we now have a modern station and the Health Centre and College Plaza, then I feel they managed to put a lot of larger infrastructure into a less sensitive location and just about manage to 'pull it off'.
The Old Town has already had its run-in with the council over the Jerwood and I suspect there is a strong residents association who would prevent much more council interference.

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Richard
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Re: Shop opening days and times

Postby Richard » Fri Mar 13, 2015 7:27 pm

Sorry - I don't think it was 'Ocean House', I meant the two out-of-place blocks above 'Iceland' and the council services on the sea front.
They must be past their 'sell-by date'.


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