Author: Rebecca Maer

Neville Pullicino who successfully secured settled status after 60 years in the UK

SPOTLIGHT: Maltese man, 80, given settled status after 60 years in the UK 

A retired hospitality worker who has lived in the UK for 60 years has spoken of his relief at being allowed to stay here under the EU Settlement Scheme.   Neville Pullicino, 80, above, who has lived in Eastbourne for 40 years, was told in April he could only stay another six months unless he […]

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SPOTLIGHT: Man given six months to stay after 60 years in the UK

AN 80-year-old man who has lived in the UK for 60 years was told he can stay for only six more months unless he proves his right to live here. He was told to do this via a smartphone app he is unable to access.  And the paper version of the application for EU settled […]

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SPOTLIGHT: Call for citizen scientists to help spot dolphins 

Sailors, nature watchers, fishing enthusiasts and boat operators are being asked to help spot the UK’s smallest population of rare coastal bottlenose dolphins off the coast of Eastbourne.  The south coast pod of only about 40 dolphins is known to swim along the Sussex coastline but travel as far afield as Cornwall, making it difficult […]

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SPOTLIGHT: Call to combat plastic pollution bridges political divide 

Both the Liberal Democrat mayor of Eastbourne and the town’s Conservative MP were today united in their call for a community-wide effort to stop plastic pollution on beaches and in the countryside.  Hundreds of people enjoyed an Eco Fair in the shade of the big wheel on Eastbourne seafront this weekend as the sun shone […]

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SPOTLIGHT: Families highlight need for safe cycle routes 

More than 100 people of all ages joined a family-friendly bike ride around town to highlight the need for safer cycle routes in Eastbourne.  The ‘Kidical Mass’ ride started in Gildredge Park and followed a loop through the town, down the ‘bus-only’ section of Terminus Road next to The Beacon shopping centre, towards the seafront […]

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SPOTLIGHT: Coast lovers join sea swimmers in sewage protest march 

Some 200 people joined a march along Eastbourne seafront over May Bank Holiday weekend to protest against the use by Southern Water of storm overflows.  The protesters walked from near the Wish Tower to the beach at the Langham Hotel on Sunday, waving placards and chanting: “Stop the sewage, save our seas!”  The organisers then handed […]

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REVIEW: Mad Catter Cat Café 

The first item on the agenda to note is … this place has a lot of cats.   In fact, there are 16 featured on the website, not all of which are visible to the naked eye inside the café. I forgot to count how many were draped across hammocks, tucked inside cat igloos and festooned […]

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SPOTLIGHT: Three sisters rise to the occasion 

WE talk to the family who have brought European-style bread and pastries to the East Sussex coast as they mark the first anniversary of their town centre shop It’s slice, weigh, knead, shape, repeat at To The Rise Bakery, Eastbourne.  It’s soothing and hypnotic to watch 23-year-old Morgan Pollard preparing dozens of sourdough loaves as […]

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SPOTLIGHT: ‘Water companies have been getting away with blue murder’  

As Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey visits Eastbourne, we ask him about the sewage spill controversy and what he would do to address the issue Sir Ed is a busy man this month – and has a pair of wellies in the car boot to cover all eventualities.  He is touring areas where his […]

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SPOTLIGHT: Sea swimmers make waves over sewage spills

A TOP executive at Southern Water took the plunge into the chilly waters with sea swimmers in Eastbourne when he met them to face questions about sewage discharges.  Dr Toby Willison (below), the director of environment and corporate affairs, swam for a few minutes on Saturday before emerging to declare: “It was a bit cold, […]

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