Hastings Forum

Hastings Town centre is living out a cheap-drink, debased scenario, with 'Wetherspoons' and the like spoiling the atmosphere
Estate Agents and Mobile Phone Shops are filling in the gaps

American owned Coffee bars (Costa and Nero) are making inroads
The main attraction supporting the local economy has to be 'Exchange Students' frequenting the American owned Fast-Food (McDonald's and Kentucky) venues

Is this what everyone wants?

Yes it is.



Enjoy life.you never know when it will end.

_ _ _thanks for your input roy !!

ignorance is bliss :laugh:

lol cheers richard.



Enjoy life.you never know when it will end.

The 'exchange students' are the better dressed, by far, of all the people in Town and make a marked contrast to the 'hardened drinkers' sitting outside the "Weatherspoons and Yates" of Hastings (to mention a couple of cheap drink places)
I don't think we give a good image to visitors with such sights but then I don't expect anyone cares much anway_ _ _
Apart from that obvious 'let down' there is a good variety of shops and eateries
Foreign visitors probably think most British people are naturally fat, eat chips and drink themselves silly all day
There is a tendency (sometimes amusing) to hear a visitor who complains about locally bold manners to be countered with the typically assertive response of:

"yeah !! and I'm proud of it !!"
:laugh: 8)

I'm tempted to make a bet with someone that a Starbucks will open in town within the next 12 months. Before we know it Wellington Place and the Memorial will be full of coffee/cafes, charity shops and banks.

Saying that it's no worse than Ashford town centre, went there a few weeks back for some retail therapy (My girlfriend made me go, honest!) and with the exception of a couple of shops/places to eat (which I guess is all down to personal preference anyway) , didn't think it was all that amazing, so it looks like it's not only Hastings town centre attracting souless chains, charity shops and the mid-morning pint drinkers!

what we need are a couple more wetherspoons and another yates wouldnt go amiss.



Enjoy life.you never know when it will end.

I never go to the town centre as I don't find it a particularly nice place to go. I either go to St Leonards or walk straight to the old town.
The shops in the town are the ones that can survive here, unfortunately these aren't usually the nicest. I'd love to have a town centre full of independent shops that sold interesting individual things but most of the population in Hastings aren't like me. I think you only really get interesting shopping centers in places that have a good percentage of wealthy residents.
I used to live in Cornwall and 20 years ago the shopping centre's of most towns were awful. They are now vastly improved mainly due to more well off people moving and holidaying there. It's a shame.

mymblesdaughter, It seems you are not really suited to this town as its full of people who like me are not well off
Never mind I like it apart from the job situation,love to go to the town centre and have a few beers now and then. :w00t:



Enjoy life.you never know when it will end.

I'm not well off I'm poor as l don't have a job, I can only press my face longingly at the windows of the lovely shops.

I think as insomniac says it's no worse than many other town centres and if you include the old town is a lot better than most.