Do you remember when?

1908

BEXHILL is to have a pergola enclosure! Egerton Park is the favoured spot, and already the work of erecting it is in progress. The matter has, for some time, been under consideration by the Entertainments Committee, but at the last meeting , on June 5, it was decided to proceed with the work. The enclosure is being made at the extreme end of the Park, the covered platform which has been there for a considerable time being included in it. The shape of the enclosure will be almost that of a half circle.

ON Wednesday, the members of the Dramatic Section of the S. Barnabas' Church of England Men's Society, with the assistance of several lady friends, appeared at The Kursaal and gave two dramatic farces, "Raising The Wind," and "Twice Killed."

On each occasion there was a good attendance and the performances passed off in a highly successful manner.

1958

THE news of Wednesday that a Royal Navy fighter plane had, subject to confirmation, set a new air speed record between London and Valletta, Malta, was of particular interest to Bexhill for the pilot was Lieut-Commander Derek F. Robbins, R.N., whose parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. Robbins, live at Headland View, West Parade.

1968

LOCAL hoteliers, meeting on Tuesday, advised the two motoring organisations to stick to grading garages and looking after cars. Members of the Hotels Association described as 'clueless' the inspectors sent by the association to approve hotel establishments, and criticised the Government-sponsored British Travel Association for the 'dilatory' way it conducted its affairs.

1978

TOWN Mayor Councillor Ken Waite sent letters to more than 200 town organisations this week, asking for their support for the Sidley Youth Centre appeal.

1988

TWO airmen in World War Two uniform arrive at Bodkin Halt, a small station in Sussex, near the coast. They converse with a taxi driver, asking him to take them to the nearby airfield at Hazel Bodkin, where their Spitfire squadron is based. The real star of the scene will be recognised by locals in spite of its new coat of paint and advertisements from the 1940s. Cooden Station was used by film makers last Wednesday for a six-part London Weekend Television drama series, Piece Of Cake.

ROTHER'S tourism initiative is a case of the right motivation but the wrong approach says a Bexhillian who spent 18 years advising local authorities on such matters. Former British Tourism Authority executive Jack Matthews knows how to achieve results. When the succession of serious accidents outside his home by the notorious Greyhorses bend in Barnhorn Road reached tragic proportions he kept a detailed record and fed his results to the Observer. East Sussex County Council put down an anti-skid surface and, says Mr Matthews, 81, the casualty rate has dropped as a result. Now he hopes Rother will listen to his views on tourism.

1998

THE ground floor of the Sussex Hotel in Sidley could be used as offices for Rother Homes, the company which has taken over Rother's council houses. The developer who converted the Victorian pub into flats now wants to build a row of four terraced houses on land at the rear. The ground floor of the pub, now known as Sussex House, has been empty since the conversion and could have been turned into a bar, restaurant or shop but no prospective entrepreneur has turned up.

BUSINESS was hit on Monday afternoon as Bexhill sat glued to its television screens when England played Tunisia in the World Cup. Streets were deserted by lunch-time as kick-off approached.