Do You Remember When?

A look back through the archives of the Bexhill Observer.

1909

THERE are indications that Bexhill will experience the alarming throes of coastal erosion unless there are effective measures adopted by the Town Council to prevent the inroads of the sea creating havoc to the foreshore, and, eventually, West Parade. Bexhill's seafront, with the contemplated improvements, is one of the largest assets of the town, and it, therefore, behoves the Council to receive at the earliest possible moment the report of the Special Committee appointed by the Council to show, according to the terms of the resolution, "what steps should be taken to protect West Parade in view of the coast erosion West of the Parade."

THE seventh annual Tradesmen's Ball took place at the Sackville Hotel on Wednesday evening and proved an unqualified success in every way. Year by year the "Tradesmen's Little Flutter" as it is humorously known, becomes more and more popular, and is patronised to the full by Bexhillians and by visitors from Hastings and elsewhere.

1959

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DEVONSHIRE-road traders met on Thursday evening to discuss possible effects of the implementation of a one-way traffic scheme for Bexhill's main shopping centre '“ a scheme which has already been approved in principle by the Town Council. The scheme, on which no action is to be taken until the views of local organisations and associations have been received, provides for one-way streets as follows: Devonshire-road- south to north; Endwell-road, west to east; St. Leonards-road, east to west; Western-road, east to west.

TWO elderly women were taken to Bexhill Hospital suffering from injuries after being flung to the ground by the gale-force gusts of wind which battered Bexhill on Tuesday night. Five other women also lost their footing in the wind, but received only slight injuries.

1969

ROAD communications between the Channel ports of Dover and Folkestone, through Rye, Hastings and Bexhill to the West Country, are so bad that as long as 20 years ago piecemeal plans for the removal of bottlenecks such as Bexhill's Old Town were made by the Ministry of Transport. Since then traffic volume has increased beyond the wildest dreams of the planners. So concerned about the road were delegates to eight Chambers of Commerce and Trade, meeting at the De La Warr Pavilion on Wednesday, that they agreed the wording of a joint four-point declaration to be sent to the Minister of Transport.

1979

STOMACHS rumbled at Bexhill High School on Monday as pupils waited up to an hour longer for their dinners. The delay was caused by a go-slow by the school meal staff. The action was part of a general day of disruption by members of the National Union of Public Employees.

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VOLUNTEER lorry and car drivers from the National Association for Freedom (NAFF) say they are ready in Bexhill and Hastings to break the lorry drivers' strike and deliver essential supplies.

1989

THE widest possible range of in and out patient services should be retained at Bexhill Hospital, even with the opening of the new Conquest Hospital and proposed by-pass. "Even with the new by-pass the Conquest Hospital will be relatively remote from Bexhill," the county council's policy committee heard in a report on Tuesday.

THE Home Office have failed to convince a "watchdog" delegation that they should back plans to cram extra inmates into Northeye Prison in portable huts. Chairman Len Caine led a two-man delegation from Northeye's voluntary Board of Visitors in talks with the regional director of the Home Office Prison Department. The Home Office wants to bring in portable buildings to increase Northeye's inmate population by 150 within a year as part of a hurried expansion programme.

1999

THE bypass and jobs '“ two vital issues which are the key to future local prosperity '“ were seized on immediately by the leader of one of the most high-powered delegations ever seen in Bexhill. The chairman of the newly-created South East England Development Agency was given a whirlwind tour on Thursday, taking in both town challenges and town opportunities.

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PLANS for the controversial sewage works at Pebsham were due to be given Rother council's reluctant blessing yesterday. Cash towards the planned countryside park between Pebsham and Hastings should be a condition of planning permisssion, says chief planning officer Leslie Robinson. Although Rother has no power to block the 30m plan, it has been consulted.