supplied by Nick Prince
Alan McCann… It was actually ‘twinned’ in May 1971. Cannon had owned Hastings for a few years before starting an £1 million conversion to three screens, which commenced in 1984, but opened in June 1985.
Josie Lawson… My mum moved from the Orion cinema to the Classic Cinema – and worked there …I didn’t see much of her then as I moved away from Hastings in 1976 until I returned in 1987…
Tony Ham… Pearl & Dean adverts.
Eugene Hughes…Do they still make peashooters? 1d worth of split peas please mister
Jan Warren… and spud guns, mud pies, car inner-tubes for swimming and “tanks” made out of cotton reels, candle wax and elastic bands!! and those “Y” shaped bits of wood with a rubber band, what were they called?? my dad also used to make “stilts” and “sledges” out of wood!! – ohhhhhh what FUN we had!! – who needs feckin’ technology!! – its the ruination of childhood!!
Lloyd Johnson… Y= catapult…
Gerry Fortsch… Maybe some one should open a museum to show all these wonderful and cheap to make things that entertained us a few years ago.
Alan Esdaile… What did your mum say… You will shoot someones eye out with that
Dave Nattress… Bows and arrows – most I guess with rubber stickers on the ends, air-guns, sheaf knifes, not to mention young lads carrying around a plethora of fake guns of all sorts. You could get a Luger that looked pretty real!! Pea-shooters – great question Eugene. Chemistry sets!! Fireworks, bangers, rockets, all so easily available!! Blimey, when you think back!!
Alan Pepper… We enjoyed making bows and arrows over Church in the wood ! And tree camps of course. Then there were the games on the street stopping every now and then for the traffic . Ha ha !! Happy days eh….
Eugene Hughes… Hi Alan Pepper . Those were the days mate.
Mick O’Dowd… Fag cards & marbles( in the gutter!)sweet tobacco, Beech Nut chewing gum.
Chris Baker… Beech Nut chewing gum! Now there’s a blast from the past! 
Eugene Hughes… What about the jars of Double Devon Cream
And tea made from loose tea in a pot and the ciggy machines outside the shop and postage stamps and good ol Doctor Lee. Sitting on the edge of her desk, fag hanging out of her mouth. “how are you today love!”