St Leonards Easter Bunny Hop event cancelled due to ‘planning issue’

A two-week series of Easter fun days due to take place at the St Leonards Showground has been cancelled due to a ‘planning issue’.
The entrance to the St Leonards Showground. Photo: Google ImagesThe entrance to the St Leonards Showground. Photo: Google Images
The entrance to the St Leonards Showground. Photo: Google Images

The Bunny Hop 2019 had promised daily Easter-themed activities, including craft workshops and face painting, starting from tomorrow (Saturday, April 6) to Monday, April 22, at the former convent site in Magdalen Road.

But a statement on the St Leonards Showground website confirmed that the event had been called off.

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The statement read: “It is with great sadness that this year’s event is now cancelled owing to a planning issue.

“The council is currently questioning our rights to hold events for the public at our site.

“Therefore, with deepest regret we have decide to cancel this event and will immediately work with the council to ensure that we are free to continue with our events calendar for the rest of the year.”

A full refund policy for the event, which would have cost £15 per day, is in place.

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A spokesman from Hastings Borough Council said that, on discussion of the details of the event: “It became apparent that the event would not be a lawful use of the site, in the opinion of the council.

“As such, we engaged in discussion with the site operators to advise them of this, at which point their differing view was shared.

“We therefore agreed to seek a legal opinion on the matter and advised the operators of this on the 3rd April.

“However, they chose to cancel the event prior to this legal view being received, or the council taking any further action.”

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The council said it would continue to investigate the legal issues and suggested that a planning application be submitted, so that the impact and frequency of these events could be fully considered.

The spokesman said: “The council is keen to work with all parties with a view to improving and utilizing the convent and its grounds.

“We therefore look forward to working with all parties to find a resolution, and hopefully enable some form of events to take place in due course.”