SPOTLIGHT: The ancient farmland which may disappear under 700 homes
John Pritchett pauses beneath the avenue of centuries-old oaks at Mornings Mill Farm with panoramic views of the South Downs towards Butts Brow. He looks up into the tree canopy and thinks back to when he worked the farm in Lower Willingdon. “I used to walk down this path after work in summer and there […]
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SPOTLIGHT: Matthew 25 Mission in Eastbourne – where everybody knows your name
An enormous pan of beans is gently heating on a large stove. Next to it, gravy is coming to simmering point while a giant cauldron of potatoes bubbles away on a third gas ring. It’s Monday morning at the Matthew 25 Mission in Eastbourne and sausage, mash and onion gravy is on the menu for […]
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REVIEW: Where the grass is always greener
There is one modest oasis of green among the baked yellow-brown lawns which lie dormant under the relentless sun. The grass at Motcombe Gardens is still the correct English summer green. It is a startling sight to drought-weary visitors as a hosepipe ban comes into force. I only noticed this verdant phenomenon, pictured below, when looking […]
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SPOTLIGHT: The life-giving shed at Hampden Park
Janet is wrestling with a skirt – and winning. Claire is positioning an extremely small washing line next to a tiny house. And three women sit chatting in another corner as they meticulously cut, align and realign pieces of glass to their satisfaction. They sit in a former shop unit, surrounded by teetering piles of […]
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SPOTLIGHT: Digging for history
Stand high on the South Downs at Butts Brow and you can try to imagine what it was like for our predecessors thousands of years ago. Their gaze would have taken in sparkling sea on two sides and rolling hills, curving down to valleys. Forests would have covered much of the land but the shape […]
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SPOTLIGHT: Helping families stay in the town they love
The average house price in Eastbourne is edging towards £300,000, which makes property owning a distant dream for many families. The most recent government figures show a rise of nearly 15% in house prices in Eastbourne in the 12 months to April 2022. This takes the average price from £258,000 to nearly £296,000 – an […]
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SPOTLIGHT: Why is it so hard to find an NHS dentist in Eastbourne?
The number of courses of NHS dental treatment given to Eastbourne patients has halved since before the first lockdown. Many people new to the town are struggling to find dentists who will take NHS patients. The British Dental Association (BDA) says this is partly due to the closure of dentists in lockdown and limits on […]
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REVIEW: Old Town Recreation Ground, Eastbourne
‘The Rec’ means, as we all know, a recreation ground. And ‘the Rec’ also often means a rectangle of bare ground, tufts of grass, maybe a climbing frame, possibly some crooked goal posts, often a weed-spattered stretch of tarmac which may be meant for ball games. It frequently connotes an urban spot, populated with imbibers […]
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SPOTLIGHT: Transforming lives with free computers
Chris Hunnisett is very clear about what he has achieved: “I have saved lives – I know I have.” The 51-year-old has worked voluntarily for many years refurbishing donated computers to give to people who cannot afford to buy one. But his project – Tubbs Computer Supplies – is at risk if he cannot attract […]
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REVIEW: The Sovereign Centre, Eastbourne
A large part of Eastbourne’s charm is that it doesn’t trouble itself with any more of the 21st century that it absolutely has to. So there is an airy new extension to the shopping centre and pale-brick pavement and road combo, but still plenty of very English cafes serving stuff with beans and B&Bs which […]
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