My Weekend – 12 to 14 Sept 2025

Hastings, Sedlescombe and Eastbourne

Having seen a quality gig on the hoof in Bexhill a couple of weeks ago (see image), where the Ska band, Ska-per performed to a packed house at the Colonnade, it was with great anticipation that I went to see them again at the Hastings Seafood and Music Festival in the Stade car park on Friday 12 September, as they kicked off the annual weekend of all things fishy.

Me and three friends all put our hands in our pockets and paid the £15 advance ticket price to go into the Friday night gig (£20 on the door).  The ticket covered the weekend festival entry too, so was well worth the money.  A great idea I thought, to kick off the weekend with live music from a band that often ends the weekend and to get the entry fee in advance with 25% discount – a good way to offset possible poor attendance over the weekend due to weather.  Should have been a major pull and a packed house.  But, the marquee was barely half-full, casting doubt on the success of the organisers’ advertising – should have gone to Events in Towns.  Notwithstanding this, it was a worthy start to the Weekend Festival, the Saturday of which was dogged by what seemed like the whole year’s rain in the space of a few hours.  The beer was good, though would have benefitted from a decent real ale, as well as the Long Man Pale Ale.

Our Sunday started with golf, a superb 9 holes at the Par-3 course at Sedlescombe Golf Club, where you can play 9, 12 or 18 holes – the 9 being on a tricky little par-3 course perfect for beginners or those looking to improve their short game.  Great value for money on both the 9 and 18 hole courses, with an option to play 12 holes if time is the enemy.  Sedlescombe is a very friendly club, with good food and drink, coaching, a couple of Padel Courts, plus a driving range.

Next, we travelled back down to the Hastings Seafood and Music Festival, only to find prohibitive parking close by at £6.80 for 3 hours.  Not happy that Hastings and now Bexhill charge people for parking on Sundays.  Luckily, I know of a few places where you can still park for free!

We saw 2 bands, both excellent.  The first played a number of lively Beatles tunes that really got the audience jumping, plus a number of other period songs.  This was the Street Lights.  Second up, we saw Harry Randle Marsh Band – a jazz/prog rock funk band, who played their own originals and mighty fine they were too.  Brilliant Saxophone and very competent and tight.  What was slightly strange though was the fact that due to Council rules, music had to finish at 6pm due to strange and unnecessary licensing rules – something to do with children having to go to school the next day.  Bloody ridiculous if you ask me.  Get your act together Hastings Borough Council.

Also enjoyed a very interesting talk about fish and the fishing industry, along with a tasting session of some very beautifully cooked fish.  Don’t ask what they were though because I wasn’t taking notes – Bass and Plaice were on the menu and we were regaled about the changing fortunes of the Monk Fish and its different names over the years, depending on its popularity at the time.

As luck would have it, I had looked at Events in Towns on Friday and one of the events we found on the Eastbourne page was a perfect Sunday night entertainment.  A quick round of communication later and 6 of us had bought tickets to the Congress Theatre in Eastbourne to see Uptown Girl – the Billy Joel Collection.  This was superb.  With a lineup only a serious tribute band can muster, we were treated to fine saxophone solos, great sounding piano and some glorious harmonies and acapella.  With our Billy sporting various length hair throughout the show, we were treated to all of of Billy Joel’s greatest hits, performed faithfully and powerfully to a slow-starting audience, but eventually rapturous audience of only around 250 in a Theatre that must hold at least 400.  I seriously believe that if the Eastbourne Theatres used Events in Towns for their advertising, it would help them fill their events and help me to build a greater community website for all of your events.  Such a great show deserved a full-house.

Well, never mind.  We had a great time.

I’ve put the names in bold to highlight all the bands, organisers and events that could advertise their services on Events in Towns.  It would be great to hear from any of you, if you see this – please write to contactus@eventsintowns.com if you would like a free Events in Towns account to try.

Everyone else, please go to your local events – for fun and therapy in difficult times.     

 

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