Words: Merlin Betts. Images: SGH The morning of Thursday 28 August we went to the Hastings Borough Council (HBC) offices, hoping to catch the housing department after their weekly meeting. Three of us were with Thomas, a homeless man who the council are fighting in court. As I joined the group, another person responding to…
Text: Oli Spleen. Photo: Oli with long-time friend and trans activist Fox Fisher. By Proud Parkers Photography. When Hastings Independent Press first launched over eleven years ago, its founding mission was to offer a unique community-led alternative to the mainstream fearmongering, scapegoating and divisive rhetoric that is the fodder of the daily tabloids. For many…
SGH has been attending the Hastings Housing Strategy steering group for the last 10 months. With co-writers Grace L and Ethan, they highlight fundamental issues with the Strategy, and ask just how useful is an ‘even-handed’ approach to tenants and landlords while we’re in a housing crisis directly caused by landlording? Featured artwork by Chris…
Text: Ethan Oshoko. Photo: @sonskaphotographystudio On Sunday the 13 July, residents from all over Hastings and St Leonards came together on the old bathing pool site in West St Leonards, in order to demonstrate two things: First, they demonstrated that developers will not be allowed to take public land and exploit it purely for profit…
By Marilyn GarsonPublished by Circaidy Gregory Press, 2025, RRP £12. Review by Tim Barton One day everyone will have always been against this, is a new book by journalist Omar El Akkad. The title is taken from a tweet he posted on October 25th 2023: “One day, when it’s safe, when there’s no personal downside…
Grace L After two and a half years in temporary accommodation, Thomas and Alice (not their real names) are appealing to Hastings Council to give them and their young child a secure home. Unlike other homeless families in temporary accommodation who are on the waiting list for social housing and can bid for places as…
Simon Lee, photo: @sonskaphotographystudio Something extraordinary happened at the old lido in St Leonards this July. Billed as a protestival, people gathered to show the local administration and property developers that really, we have had enough! In a hastily organised, but beautifully executed gathering, the people of St Leonards proclaimed their resolve and opposition to…
Andrew Myers If you were to inhabit the body of an insect while retaining all the vital aspects of human intellect and perception, and find yourself on one of the vertical surfaces of the present writer’s kitchen, while a dish involving fish or seafood is being prepared, or indeed during any activity, culinary or otherwise,…
Writing: Merlin Betts. Image: Archie Lauchlan. Walking the border of Gaza… well, a similar length anyway. The Stade to the De La Warr is about 9km, not far off the length of the Gaza Strip’s southern border with Egypt. Gaza’s longer border is 51km – that’s basically from here to Brighton. I made this the…
A recipe by Wolfie and Rubes Ingredients – 1 can butternut squash soup– 1 cup cooked rice– 1 vegan chicken stock cube Method 1. Cook rice2. Cook soup3. Put rice in soup and stir together with stock cube Optional garnish:1. Fry diced vegan chorizo sausage, a handful of chopped green beans until crispy2. Add a…