Sadly, it has suffered from some unsympathetic planning over the years but more recently, clichés aside, the seaside town has undergone something of a renaissance. Hastings will never be a flash, glitzy resort – but that is part of its charm and also what attracts an increasing number of artists, designers and independent shop owners creating a small but thriving bohemian vibe. Of course, there wi
ll always be those people who remain sniffy about the town – but more fool them. Most visitors head for the Old Town, where Georgian weather boarded houses line narrow, cobbled streets and twittens (narrow alleys); the High Street and George Street are two of the busiest for shops, eateries and vintage emporiums. This is where Hastings has undergone the most radical transformation; the array of eclectic shops that have opened in the last years include a superb organic bakery an English cheesemongers and vintner, art galleries and, owner-run cafes and restaurants. One big draw will always be the sea which, on a hot, calm, day can be like the Mediterranean, deep blue and languid, with swimmers dipping in and out. The sea remains an important resource for Hastings which boasts the largest beach-launch fishing fleet in England. The fleet’s home is the Stade, an area of the beach nestling just below East Cliff. The town is also served by three excellent fishmongers run by friendly and helpful staff and supplied by the Hastings fleet – one of those, Rock-A-Nore, produces their own delicious kiln-roasted salmon. Two Victorian funicular railways – the steepest in Britain – haul passengers to the tops of West and East Cliff where wonderful sweeping views of the old town below can be found. Housing is still relatively cheap – although the Old Town is not the secret it once was. Property prices are on the up with some of the most expensive nudging the million pound mark – who’d have thought it. Hastings of course is more than just the pretty Old Town; a little way along the seafront, St Leonards is also attracting young and enterprising designers, makers and artists, laying a trail where others will undoubtedly follow.
