Petition against beach dog ban in Hastings Old Town

The Council has imposed two dog exclusion areas on the beach over the summer, between 1 April to 30 September. These are from the east of Rock-a-Nore to the east side of Hastings Pier and

from the west end of Bottle Alley to opposite the Royal Victoria Hotel.

Dogs are allowed on the beach either on or off-lead at any time on the beach from the west of Hastings Pier to the west end of Bottle Alley and from opposite the Royal Victoria Hotel until the border with Rother where their restrictions take over.

The petition was started by Anne Pottle, who said: “I am a local resident of Hastings, deeply affected by the recent decision made by our council. Despite conducting a consultation, our voices were ignored and dogs were banned from all beaches near the Old Town, Hastings during the summer months.

"This decision has left many of us, without a beach to walk our beloved pets during these months.

“The majority of us agreed that there needed to be some compromise but objected to the additional restrictions on the Stade Beach. A working beach, where fishermen’s dogs are now considered as working dogs and free to roam without restrictions.

“This is not just about dog walking; it's about preserving our community spirit and ensuring inclusivity for all residents. Moreover, this ban has potential negative impacts on our local economy. Dog owners from other towns who would normally visit are now discouraged due to these restrictions. This could lead to decreased spending in local businesses that rely heavily on seasonal visitors.

“Additionally, this ban forces locals like myself who live near the beach to drive if want to enjoy the beach as a family - an unnecessary contribution towards environmental pollution which contradicts with UK's commitment towards reducing carbon emissions and goes against our own councils objectives of making the best use of the seafront and promoting tourism.

“We urge Hastings Council to reconsider their decision and allow dogs access to Stade Beach all year round while implementing reasonable rules that respect both dog owners and non-dog owners alike. Please sign this petition if you believe in a more inclusive Hastings where everyone - including our four-legged friends - can enjoy what our beautiful town has to offer.

A number of local people added their comments to the petition, with one resident saying “I am disabled ,cannot drive, so I rely on the beach heavily to walk my dog.”

Another commented: “To remove a tiny beach from the dog owning community is simply wrong. I wish the council would take more decisive action against the real polluters damaging our beaches.”

Old Town resident Polly Clegg said: “I am a conscientious dog owner and walk my dog on the beaches when not going up the hill. I pick up all dog poo. While on my dog walks I also pick up bags full of rubbish. In the summer the rubbish is dramatically increased from visitors. Rubbish is sweet wrappers, beach clothes wrappers, fish and chips packaging, a lot of sauce sachets. This plastic rubbish is a great detriment to the area and the environment. I think the dog ban is the wrong direction to improve our beaches and the well being of residents. Having a dog has a dramatic effect on people's health primarily due to the walking. Please don't take beach walks away from the local residents.”

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The Council says dogs are allowed on the beach either on or off-lead at any time on the beach from the west of Hastings Pier to the west end of Bottle Alley and from opposite the Royal Victoria Hotel until the border with Rother where their restrictions take over. For the winter period (1 October to 31 March), dogs are allowed on all parts of the beach either on or off-lead.

We approached Hastings Borough Council for a comment on the petition but they have not replied.