Closing Down

[Richard]

Sad to say that 'Curtains for you' have now closed on Queens Road, also 'Trading Post' next to Iceland and now I see a sign asking for 'Offers' on the large public conveniences building in Harold Place.
Others may come and go quickly but those have been there for a long time and it is sad to see them go.
Sometimes it is a matter of the owner retiring and not being able to find anyone who wants to continue the business, but I don't know what will become of the public conveniences!
'Halfords Metro' moved out of Queens Road some time last year and are still an empty shop.

[Richard]

The offer for sale by the council of the large W.C. building in Harold Place seems a bad move considering the large number of big public events in Hastings, where hundreds of people are congregating to see the following:
Pirate Day
Fireworks / Bonfire night
Carnival Day
Huge crowds, families, pregnant ladies, students, etcetera, etcetera, where are they supposed to go to relieve themselves, down an alley-way?

[Geoff]

Agreed, closing the town centre loos is a very strange decision. Anyone remember the underground ones that were there before?

[Derek Jempson]

Yes, remember the underground toilets at Harold Place and also at Silverhill Junction.

[ColinL]

There is a postcard circa 1905 showing the Harold Place conveniences on the photo site. There were also toilets underground (?) at the rear of Woolworth. Public toilets have become one of the casualties of the reduction of resources of towns in recent years as their existence has not been seen as necessary, only useful We may have also become more continental by using facilities in pubs,bars, cafes or shops - except where a sign says, "Toilets for the use of patrons only"

Elsewhere on this site a seem to remember a discussion about the toilet adjacent to the town hall that I believe became a betting shop after I left the town

If the site of Harold Place is not sold it would be a useful addition to the pedestrian area of Memorial for buskers, and markets and other street entertainment

[Mrs Ed Gein]

The lighting shop on the corner of Waterworks Road has been having a closing down / retirement sale for at least 10 years. Will that poor women even get her retirement?

[seahermit]

It reminds me of the Ronnie Corbett joke: "I remember tbe precise day it happened. It was the one day in the whole year when Allied Carpets didn't have a sale".

There seems to be a loophole in the law which they take advantage of. Everyone will be grabbed by a big red sign saying "CLOSING DOWN SALE". Underneath in tiny letters: "For refit".

[Mrs Ed Gein]

Ha Ha - that gave me a laugh. I never thought about a loophole but that must be true.

[Mrs Ed Gein]

What kind of shop would you open in Hastings. I would like to see a good D.I.Y. store. Shame the little one on Queens Road closed down. I see a fancy kitchenware shop is opening.

[seahermit]

I mourn the passing of several quality specialist shops in Hastings. The cookware/DIY shop in Queens Road was excellent, the only equivalent is a newer one in Robertson Street - the kitchenware is pretty but not top-of-the range nor so practical. In my experience people wirh pretty kitchens are often not the ones doing serious cooking!

The very good curtain/linen shop in Queens Road has gone, also the one replaced by Cafe Nero. Really there is only the linen department of Debenham's, vastly overpriced and limited range.

There used to be a top quality shop for jeans, leather; Ben Sherman shirts etc. called Scorpio in Wellington Place. But there just isn't the market in Hastings for those kinds of shop - hence only the cheap chain stores now, supplied by goods from China.

It's sad, may change one day, but at the moment you have to go to Eastbourne for really nice shops. Or to Brighton - makes Hastings shops look like a joke. I dare not take my credit card there in case I get tempted!