ore – SMART

Ken Apps cycle repairs and Clive Vale Hotel Ore Hastings photo by Anthony ‘Nan’ Morland

February 8, 2024February 8, 2024 by Alan Esdaile

photo © Anthony ‘Nan’ Morland

Phil Gill… Pop into the pub for a quick one whilst he mends you puncture.

Nick Prince… I remember it well

Jim Breeds… Looking decidedly grotty now! (Image from Streetview). Clive Vale Hotel also seen on the right in Nan’s photo.

Alan Esdaile… Remember it. Went in the Hare & Hounds further up the road and nearly got run over a few times, as the door went straight out into the road.

Stuart Moir… One less pint may have made a difference Alan

Harry Randall… Remember Ken Apps when he had his shop on the corner of Menzies rd as a boy often went for spares and learnt a lot sad when he moved to Ore

Pauline Richards… And Pat Halliwell had a cafe along there

Merv Kennard… Did a few gigs in the Clive Vale Hotel.

Alan Esdaile… I remember coming to a couple Merv

Lloyd Johnson… I remember building a track bike out of found bike bits from a bombsite/ disused ground with stuff dumped on it. Ken Apps made me a pair of steer horn shaped handle bars out of gas pipe and I painted the whole bike different coloured patterns with humbrol paints.We use to ride them through a track in Coghurst Woods in the 1950s…

Mike Mitchell… Lloyd, I used to ride that track through Coghurst Woods late sixties. A great ride down the hill with minimal brakes – as long as we didn’t meet anyone coming up the track!

Andy Clarke… If I remember right Wayne Spears worked there and took it over after Ken.

Roger Simmonds… I remember it too !

David Edwards… Although the sign said Ken Apps every one ran the name into one and called it Kenapps’s shop

Chris Meachen… I remember being fascinated watching him build wire bike wheels from the basic parts.. A proper craftsman.

Edward Adams… remember it well ken apps used to live in the same block of flats as me in chiltern drive

Mark Harris… Opposite my Nan and Grandad’s VG store, C & M Harris!

Tony Court-holmes… when Ore had pubs

Roger Simmonds… All the good old shops and craftmanship mostly gone now!

Mick O’Dowd… Spent many visits to Ken Apps shop as he was so knowledgeable about bike probs!

Robert Wren… Spent many hours peering through the window and dreaming of all bits I would love to buy. He was always very helpful and didn’t always charge but I did buy various bits over the years. I also remember his Hillman Super Minx he would drive to work and park across the road on the rough track. I think the colour of the car was a sort of copper or gold.

Roger Carey… Great shop- many interesting businesses in Ore over the years..Ken Apps was the place to go to keep your bicycle on the road! Seem to recall he discouraged unnecessary modifications….

Paul Huggins… Fond memories from back in the day…when Electric Ray had the Clive Vale

Alan Esdaile… Can remember cycling down Malvern Way with my brother, on our bikes, when the new roads were being built!

Pauline Richards… And Charltons sweet shop

Andy Clarke… Loved the pet shop across the road too.

Katherine Apps… I’m delighted to read these comments. I’m proud that I had the absolute honour that my Grandfather was the one and only Ken Apps. Of Ken Apps Cycles, Hastings. I’m so pleased his devotion, hard work and memory lives on.

Pauline Richards… And Halliwels cafe nr by!

Andy Caine… Ken was a legend!

Neil McGuigan… Ken was the man

Jeff McCall… He mended my bike often enough, always helpful. Across the road on the corner of Sandown Hill was Holtons the greengrocer ran buy my pal Bernard Holtons dad who used to be a blacksmith. Happy days.

David Edwards… Always pronounced KenApps never a break between Ken and Apps.He was always good to kids who were struggling to keep an old bike on the road.

Derek Alan Richardson… Great character. Was a total gentleman. Always kept our bikes going however much we beat them up through the 70s. Spent some time with Wayne Spears in Bexhill today reminiscing. Wayne went on to buying the shop after Ken retired. Great memories

Peter Ellingworth… Great shop, great guy, one of a regretfully disappearing or disappeared breed. I remember staying at the now sadly closed YHA (Guestling Hall) off Rye Road while on a long weekend visit back in the ’80’s, and was speaking in the common room (normally followed by us all visiting the nearby pub up the hill) to a German youngster of around 19 whose bike he mentioned needed some frame repairs and TLC.
The following morning I took him (and dismantled bike) in the VW Polo I had then to the Ore shop, and he repaired the lad’s bike including some brazing work if I remember right there and then, and at minimal cost. The youngster was over the moon, as it meant he could instead of cutting his tour short continue pedalling on towards Southampton to stay with friends/relatives (can’t remember which). I thought very little of this until some time later his father wrote to thank us both. A nice gesture. Back to the Guestling Hall YHA: this closed when the YHA decided to rationalise and due to financial issues sold off a lot of their property. Guestling Hall was a great place to stay especially when Melanie Baker, her Dutch boyfriend and their predecessor Barry who had a large collection of hats on show from Liverpool were the wardens. I wrote to the local Hastings MP at the time voicing my concerns of its closure and its benefit as both an ex-Hastings resident and visitor, only to have a terse reply that as I was no longer one of his constituents he could not help……..yet I also contacted Grant Shapps my now local MP, and although not on his patch he could not have been more helpful ! Remember also Lappy’s bike shop at the top ‘country’ end of Queens Rd – always smelt of paraffin when you went in.

4th Hastings Scouts Ore 70’s

November 9, 2023November 9, 2023 by Alan Esdaile

Supplied by Richard Samuels

Richard Samuels… The 4th Hastings Scouts met in a hall near the lights in London Road (Old B&Q). Must be 1977? I only have the shirt and hat. Toggle etc and badges not come to light yet

Jim Breeds… I was in 4th Hastings in 1960s, and became a leader at the same troop in 1970s. Originally we met in the church hall that was up a passage between Grove Road and Winchelsea Road, and later moved to the hall next to the church when that was built.

Alan Esdaile… Jim, Mason’s Music warehouse at one stage.

Merv Kennard… My father was scout master for the 4th in the 60s in that hall

Karen Sweatman… I was in the 4th Hastings Brownies and Guides!

Chris Baker… Wow! I remember going to Wolf Cubs in the very old Lifeboat House on the promenade right next the the boating lake! That was a cold and drafty hall! After a while we transferred to The Emmanuel Hall up on the West Hill. I never made it into the Scouts, probably because it would mean my parents buying another uniform. . Astonishing how this thread drags up so many memories that would otherwise be lost.

Alan Esdaile… I went to cubs in Emmanuel Road Chris. Was it called Menden Hall?

Chris Baker… Alan, do you know my memory doesn’t stretch that far. Seems to me like it was always the Hall in Emmanuel Road! When I was first married, (to some other woman), we had a “Boutique” called Showstopper in George Street, before moving to Emmanuel Road and I had to get a “proper job’ in Debenhams, first in Hastings and then in Eastbourne, which broadened my horizons a bit!

Jeff McCall… I was in the troupe that met in Athelstan Road and wore a blue uniform!

Tony Leeson… This was a photo of the Athelstan Road group doing a gang show late 50s

Tony Leeson… I also was in the Athelstan Road group (7th? Hastings scouts) from 1955 to 59/60.. and have fond memories of it. The Herbert brothers ran the group (Com and Bosun). Didn’t have blue uniforms then though.

Nigel Kennard… Mine and Merv’s father Derek (DK) was Group Scout Leader with the 4th Hastings in the 1960’s. I well remember him spending time away at camp with them and scouts including Ron Smith and Dave Harding. All from the close community that was Ore. Happy memories.

Nigel Kennard… Merv, I think the old man (Derek Kennard – DK) was Group Scout Leader from the mid / late 1950s to the early 1960s ie until we moved from Coghurst Road. Others there at the time would be Dave Harding, Ron Smith, Will (?). Remember them going off to camp at Guestwell Scout Camp site at Guestling.

Merv Kennard… Nigel, I can remember them going off pulling a hand cart loaded with tents and everything else needed for the camp.

Who remembers Dolls Hospital Hastings?

May 14, 2023May 14, 2023 by Alan Esdaile

photo © Anthony ‘Nan’ Morland

Sheila Maile… Where Town Trip is now

Sandra Francis… Well I didn’t live here then, but we had one in Tunbridge Wells too! Today’s culture is all throw it away and buy new, but then it was make do and mend, and businesses like this thrived

Jackie Hersee… I remember when it was in George Street

Perri Ann Haste… Jackie, Me too! I used to love looking in there.

Pauline Richards… didn’t it move to George Street. From here.

Merv Kennard… Just up the road from my house in North Terrace.

Jenny Power… Used to go up there to get spare action man hands and new gear plus different sindy parts as well..a great shop!

Diane Cook… Oh god loved this shop memes my big doll

Claire O’Hatch… Didn’t I take one of my toys there? I’m sure I remember another entrance at the side of the building

Sally Harvey… I know we bought toys from there

Evelyn Ann Astell… Always went in there with my nan, then it became a betting shop if I remember rightly, as we lived in North terrace .

Julie Findlay-jones… I remember when it was in George Street, my dad took my favourite doll to be mended, when he picked it up the dolls hair had been changed from black to blond theyed put the wrong head on I was devastated .

Heather Sidery… We had one in Sheffield!

Lyn Farkley Appleyard… Heather, We had one in Worcester too….Broad Street.

Mick O’Dowd… Wasn’t there one in Ore Village where the chippie is now?

John Wilde… They fixed a teddies eye 1973

Angela Frances Gardner… I remember it moving to George Street.

Steve Hamilton… Opposite Weavers between Old London Road and Priory Road right? In 1990 that was were I met the girl I was seeing, as a handy midpoint between both our houses, when the AA started to refuse to come out and deal with my Datsun’s many issues (you get a letter after 8 callouts since you asked)…

Dave Nattress… Yes, very well as my late Dad worked on the conversion of the building from whatever it was to become the Dolls Hospital. A very long time ago! Dads been gone 40 year.

Tracy Birrell… I remember it well.

Lynda Caine… O yes I remember it well, another part of my childhood. I would walk through the woods from Broomgrove estate and pass it with my friends on our way down to the old town, happy days

Mick Turner… Was that not be a off Licence before?

Merv Kennard… Yes it was, but can’t put a date on it. Pos early 70s.

Carole Hamer… Me

Sally Knight… Happy memories

Marie Ellen…

Maureen Gladstone… I remember it in George Street

Sue Deeprose… I remember it, on corner of Old London Road and Priory Road.

Sharyn Vinall… There was one just off Queens Road, opposite where the old gas works used to be..Stonefield Road.

Clive Vale Hotel – 1973

February 26, 2023February 26, 2023 by Alan Esdaile

Alan Oliver… I used to own that place! 1989 ish. I called it The New Clive Vale with Dave Gurney as manager.

Nick Prince… Im sure that it had the name Oliver’s above it and around 1989 time. It had an entrance at first floor level in Alfred Road. I never went.

Alan Oliver… Yes the upstairs ‘Function Room’ was called Olivers. The pub was called ‘The New Clive Vale’ Ray agreed to rent the whole place from me.

John Austin… That brings back memories !

Jim Breeds… Many family “do’s” upstairs there. “Cathy on the organ”! Now you tell me!

Andy Qunta… And the governor with his back teeth submerged!

Virginia Davis… Would prefer it to still be there rather than the monstrosity that’s replaced it

Peter Thomson… Was this a spoof? Made me laugh – looks so much like a ‘Viz’ ad. And who was Clive Vale anyway?

Mark Gilham… Clive Vale’s the bloke illustrated on the ad with the tankard

Roxine Lucas… I remember going there with my late father had some good nights there

Nick Prince… I remember going there when Electric Ray had it. What a character. Lol

Lucy Pappas… We used to go there after youth club. Underage drinking wasn’t such a big deal at that time!

Chris Meachen… Spent many an evening there in the 70’s.. Dedicated much of my time to ensuring the pub’s mynah bird was the sweariest & most foul-mouthed in the town…

Ernest Ballard… Trust you Chris ha ha

Mary Lipscombe… Known as monkey island!

Tony Court-holmes… used to sell back in the day some bloody good rough cider

Laker shoe shop, Old London Road, Ore, Hastings

January 16, 2023 by Alan Esdaile

Ronald Gillett… REMEMBER IT WELL

Terry Hopper… Yep remember it well we used to have our school shoes repaired there

Heidi Millett… Yes I remember

Chris Meachen… I remember that parade of shops before Yonky knocked them all into one…

Elaine Nolan… Remember it x

Dawn Leaney… A big part of the village years ago. I can remember the smell of new shoes as you went in. I saved up as a teenager to buy a pair of cream high patent shoes with a big button on the side that l had seen in the window. Loved those shoes.

Audrey Huggins… Loved that shop

Judy Atkinson… I remember getting shoes there, especially summer sandals (the ones with the cut-out design), we only lived a few doors along. A proper shoe shop with that special smell

Wendy Bevis… School shoes xx

Mick O’Dowd… Remember it well. Cornelius fruit shop next door. Now Hastings Pet Shop and Winchesters.

Alan Esdaile… As a number of people have said, shoe shops in those days had the shoe shop smell. Also how exciting is the window display, so much to see.

Linda O’leary… I remember those days!

Janet Brophy… I remember those days!

Teleaerials Old London Road Ore Hastings1974

April 29, 2021April 29, 2021 by Alan Esdaile

supplied by Tony May

Tony May… Another odditty I have discovered from a Hastings Herald Newspaper 1974. Anyone remember this shop? A bit before my time…

Jim Breeds… Yes, I do. Now the site of the motorcycle shop.

Dennis Torrance… Not sure if this is a shop that used to be in ore opposite Tesco’s . I remember also it sold records also late 60s I remember.

Graham How… I think it’s now French’s Rentals in Ore

Roland Clarke… Graham, they still seem to be there. I remember when they had branches all over.

David Edwards… Graham, I’m sure you are right.

Mick O’Dowd… Yes I remember it well but not for records/tapes. I bought a record player from him and a big TV all of 21″. Front room was so small had to sit in the kitchen to see it properly!