photo supplied by Leigh Kennedy
Ian Cramp… Does anyone remember a shop on the seafront in St Leonards on Eversfield Place in the early 70’s that used to sell all sorts of weird an wonderful things such as cheesecloth shirts,
Afgan coats, josticks and all sorts of other paraphernalia
Camilla Lake…. Priti Novelties
Caz Simpson… I do, I bought lots of things there. Was it called Pretty Novelties or Priti Novelties. The smell as you walked in was lovely. I think it was run by an Indian family. Ah memories
Ian Cramp… petunia oil I think…..
Caz Simpson… Of course! It was so popular then. I loved that shop, everything was affordable.
Jo Turner… and often sandalwood 
can smell it now mixed with the raw animal skins of the Afghan coats.
Judie Struys… I bought an Afghan coat from there. It had fur all round including the hood. It smelt terribly goaty. Even patchouli oil couldn’t mask it. I wish it was still open. I’d quite like a cheesecloth shirt.Remind me. Did it sell jeans and a brand name called Simon or something like that? Or have I made all that up?
Mandy Wright… I lived a few doors down from this shop and remember it well . There was another clothes shop next door ish? omg ! Yes it was Simon, I can remember having t shirts ( with big collars) and ‘simon’ written on my left boob , well flat chest as it was then ,lol x
Angela Frances Gardner… Yes I used to buy loads of my clothes there in the 70s a great shop with a lovely Indian couple, it was at Eversfield Place near Warrior Square
Lynne Smith… Priti novelties. Loved it!
Lucy Pappas…Loved Priti Novelties xx
Jan Warren… Loved this shop, great for us hippies!
Jo Turner… My sister and I adored that shop
Pauline Richards… Yes and Indian clothes.
Ian Cramp… Thanks to all for your comments and contributions to this post, I had no idea of the name of this shop, I just remember I used to frequent it a lot for various weird and wonderful things, I am having a holiday in Hastings in June and will drive past to see what it is now, mind you Hastings must have changed a lot since I left there in 1981
John Wilde… Yes. A very kind Indian family owned it. I was a regular customer.
Yvonne Cleland… Got all my cheesecloth there!
Chris Meachen… Priti novelties, my favourite source of clothing, incense, patchouli oil & puzzle rings, amongst other things.. Miss the place dearly…
Lesley Brown… I do remember Priti Novelties, also a shop which sold wonderful wooden toys. The Bolshoi Shop, I think.
Judie Struys… Lesley, I think that the Bolshoi Shop was opposite the Sailing Club.
Dave Nattress… Remember it well. A must for us Bexhill boys, me to buy a White cheesecloth Kurta and the girls used to get the Patchouli Oil and Musk Oil. Joss sticks!!
Fiona Evans… It was called Priti Novelties & was run by an Indian couple whose daughter went to Winton House School in Dane Rd.
Simon Fraser… Judie, used to love cheese cloth shirts!
Stephen Fletcher… Think we all bought our Afghan coats from there
Sophie Ash… In a bizarre legal case, the owners were successfully sued for “Detinue” [now wrongful interference of goods] over an Afghan coat. The story was reported on Southern TV.
Peter Bridger… I remember Esther Rantzen getting involved! I believe they alledgedly switched a coat someone bought with a damaged one.
Sophie Ash… hose Hippies sure knew their Sale of Goods Act back in them thar days!
Danielle Reed… I loved that shop
Romaine Fulton-hart… Etched on mind this shop !!
Leigh Mitchell… Patchouli oil & joss sticks! Was this also the place where a local woman bought an Afghan coat and was on TV (‘That’s Life’????) because of a complaint/problem with the coat/shop? I might have just made that up….
Janine Hemsley… Leigh, that was me, they swapped the one I paid for for one with a huge tear in it. I was only 16 and had saved for months for it. Never gave receipts, I soon realised why. They sung there’s a hole in my jacket in That’s Life
Diane Leigh… Loved the smell as you entered the shop
Patrick Lewis… Cheesecloth shirts
Mandy Wright… They were my neighbours, lovely family xx
Roland Clarke… Original drug paraphernalia! Didn’t they have a Turkish water pipe in the window for a number of years?
Tracy Crighton… loved that shop
Andy Clarke… I used to buy my patchouli oil there.
Jacqui Murphy… Andy, me too! My mum banned my denim jacket from the house because it reeked of patchouli oil
Leigh Mitchell… Jacqui, tbh I always thought it was a sickly smell but everyone else wore it at the time (especially at Hastings College!). My Mum said it gave her a headache (everything did back then…me…my music…
Petra Stevens… One if my favourites!
Chris Meachen… My favourite boutique..
Lesley Brown… A real treasure chest of delights
John Wilde… They were lovely people.
Claire Lonsdale… I was just thinking about this shop as I walked past there the other day. What shop is there now, in its place?
Pete Brazier…”Indian ceremonial sawd’s”They would have done a roaring trade on Pirate Day
Pete Harper… And Fortes near the corner is still here today.
Maureen Arkwright… Wow that’s going back. Lived in Charles Road..went to Silverdale school . Loved the shops. I was only about 9/11. Anyone from Silverdale school ??
Liz Palombo… Loved this shop.Used to buy poppy oil here.
Tina Farthing… Loved that shop
Maureen Deeprose… Walked Past Fortes every day on the way to work 50 years ago. I lived in Norman road
Debbie Jones… Remember it well. Bought clothes in there I think.
Amanda Wray… Wasnt it called Man trap before? Or was it after?
John Griffin… And Fortè’s has now taken over the corner site , which was a bank a long time ago I believe
Lynn Normoyle… Used to buy cheesecloth dresses and shirts here in the 70’s
Sally Gray… Loved this shop
Claire Worth… happy memories
Alison Pelling… Used to buy most of my clothes in there
Carol Farnfield… More shops that we’ve lost
Margaret Simmons… When it was a pleasure to walk along ST Leonards and look at the shops.
Barbie Soan… My in laws lived in the flats above the paper shop n Jo worked in there
Sarah Catterall… I used to love that shop.
Deborah Curcher… How weird. I was only thinking of this shop last week. Cheesecloth was brilliant as were the kaftans
Linda Wren… I worked in Fortes 1975-76. Got my wages and spent most of them in Priti Novelties! Good times.
Hil Pine… That was my favourite shop and the people who owned it were lovely people
Marinus van den Ende… I am married to one of the former owner’s daughters. We had a look today as we are here for a short break and the shop is now a flat. The dad passed away some time ago but the mum lives near us in Suffolk.
Remember it well. A must for us Bexhill boys, me to buy a White cheesecloth Kurta and the girls used to get the Patchouli Oil and Musk Oil. Joss sticks!!
I am married to one of the former owner’s daughters. We had a look today as we are here for a short break and the shop is now a flat. The dad passed away some time ago but the mum lives near us in Suffolk.