photo: https://www.facebook.com/hastingsmuseum
Hastings Museum & Art Gallery… The carnival has continued to be the climax of Old Town Week since 1969 after Old Town residents felt the original Hastings Carnival should have included the Old Town in its route and decided to set up their own carnival.
Wendy Weaver… It used to be so good with the fairground and the disco on Winkle Island.
Mark Fawaz Formaly Gomes… Yea its poor now
Judy Atkinson… Mark, it is what people make it. Unfortunately so many groups that used to join in don’t bother any more, especially the companies that used to put in brilliant floats. Feel free to join the committee and suggest ways to improve it or dress up and join in. Just moaning doesn’t help
Mark Fawaz Formaly Gomes… Judy, its not just the companies that don’t want to join in, it’s the health and safety loopholes to many of them now
Reg Wood… Mark, I am the health and safety officer for the carnival and I can assure you there are very little loopholes as you call it. We have a great relationship with all the authorities who fully support all the events we put on. All we ask is support from the community.
Judy Atkinson… Reg, I think what he means is H&S hoops rather than loopholes, we used to be on big floats & H&S was never a consideration. You took part at your own risk
Tony Court-holmes… I lived in one of those houses no 17
Clive Richardson… I remember Oxo had a couple of small rays on his stand, smoking a cigarette!
Steve Hamilton… That’s my mother and father inside the float, they owned the Hart and Son Fishmongers on High Street. I’m assuming this is the early 70s. I loved the Old Town Carnival- one of the highlights of the year.
Alan Esdaile… I remember the cigarette in the fish. I’m sure someone complained to the Observer at the time.
Steve Hamilton… Alan, I’m sure they did. Although, from memory, every living thing seemed to smoke in the Old Town at the time.