no more art shops

[PAUL]

please please no more art shops in old town jerwood is enough not every one is interested in art and i ncertainly wont pay togo into jerwood such waste of money old town should be left alone it only went through cause someone got back hander i hope its a flop >:)

[luna_saphire]

Hastings needs a good variety of independent shops, and by the looks of things, it's certainly moving in this direction. It would be nice to see a few more quality independent shops in the New Town too, as opposed to the usual suspects. We must do our bit though and support these independent shops, no point in complaining if you don't use them. Yes, the Jerwood is controversial, but surely better than a coach park? My only gripe is the fact that it seems as though the new gallery will charge a fee for entry. At the least, Hastings residents should have free entry.

[PAUL]

old town is loosing its true careecter through these art shops and jerwood i know people come down from london tell they wont be comming back true old town is dieing iv lived here allmy life in the old town

[terry_again]

Would you rather see these shops abandoned or turned into second homes for rich people? If no one else wants them, let them become art shops. We have far too many disused buildings in the town already and our gutless council clearly don't have the will to take on the property speculators who allow such properties to rot until they have to be demolished like the Clive Vale pub, Hurst Court, or someone sets them alight like the old train sheds and power station at Ore.

[PAUL]

and where are all these so called visitors going to park in the old out side my house >:)

[patrick]

You have a good point there, where will these visitors park ?

[Marina]

I have to be honest and say the art shops have improved St Leonards, not sure if they will have the same effect on the Old Town though. We shall see how this Jerwood thing works long term. Personally I think it will be a flop, especially if visitors have to pay to go in, when there's free galleries elsewhere in the town.

[thimble]

As far as i can see there has been coach parking near white rock.I have been down the old town lately and we will use the pubs and i am loving the atmosphere i will spend my hard earned money there and bring my friends.

We need to promote our town ,and the arty people will love the old town that is our ace.If their spending money they are keeping the jobs for the town.May be will have some famous paintings.

Dont fear people who have more money than you,money can do a lot of good.MONEY IS NOT THE ROOT TO ALL EVIL,IT IS THE LOVE OF MONEY THAT IS .

I agree parking is an issue,this needs to be sorted,but those who need jobs i would be looking with a keen eye.

[patrick]

In what way have art shops improved St.Leonards ? and where are these so called art shops ? And why should anyone pay to go into the Jerwood, they do not charge to enter the De La Warr or the Museum in Summerfields which has had some good art shows over the years.And who is going to buy all this so called art ? Have any of these supporters of these art shops actually purchased anything from them ?

[terry_again]

I've never purchhased anything from an art shop, but I've never bought anything from a fishing tackle shop, a pizza shop (I can't bear cheese), or any one of a number of other establishments. But we can't deny their right to exist just because we don't like them.

Parking is a problem and is probably one of the reasons why the old observer building remains unused, but we are in danger of letting the car rule our lives. There are people who refuse to walk to the corner shop, saying they don't feel safe, or producing some other lame excuse.

The old popcorn factory on Priory Road has been boarded up for donkey's years, I'd wecome that being turned into a shop of some sort ANY SORT, a pub or put to some other use. Likewise some of the old pubs that the smoking ban has murdered. If someone is prepared to invest in these old buildings, it's surely a good thing.

I think there are rather too many fish and chip shops on the old town sea front, but that's just me. If the alternative is that they are left to rot and ultimately pulled down and replaced by some characterless brick wall or concrete/glass/plastic slab, let them be fish and chip shops, art shops or whatever.

What will they put in Hurst Court's place? What will happen to the Langham, the Angel, the Manor or any of the dozens of old and disused buildings?

I'm all for the Jerwood, I just think it's in the wrong place and they should have used the old Observer building or 'White Rock baths.

Art has much to offer the town. Look at what they did to the rather boring exterior of the Tubman pub. Why not turn them loose on the huge blank wall opposite Yates, the featureless facade of Moda or the drab stretch of nothingness on the north side of Pelham Street. It could become a major tourist attraction if more buildings were decorated to such a high standard (although it wouldn't suit every building). It might even provide some jobs.

We desperately need more jobs and less of the "I'm all right Jack Nazis" who want genocide for the unemployed by cutting off their benefits in order to line their own pockets with tax cuts. If art brings job opportunities, investment and life to the town it has to be a good thing.