Fat Tuesday in Hastings

Outside the Dragon Bar

 

 

After the rained-out Umbrella Parade on Sunday, it was at least dry for last night's Fat Tuesday festivities.  Hastings Old Town was packed with people: the event focussed on half a dozen hostelries who imported live bands.  The Dragon, which, it was rumoured, had brought in some well-known musicians at the last minute, spilled out into George Street, where the tide merged with the overflow from the Hastings Arms opposite.  The main pubs were impenetrable: when we walked up the High Street, Porters and the Jenny Lind were both crowded out.  We thought we'd try the so-called Filo - nothing to do with pastry, it's an abbreviation of the pub name First In Last Out.  On arrival they were allowing one person in for each one leaving.  I'd say that makes the evening a success.  I hope that the local charities set to benefit were pleased.

 

The Venetian mask business didn't seem to have taken off.  We'd had a bite to eat in the Black Pearl, where some heavyset chaps were sitting at the bar in surprisingly ornate masks - a curious mix of Don Giovanni and the Godfather.  But most people were interested in goodnatured drinking.  A lady shaking a collection box outside Porters allowed me to take her picture, though, just to show that some people made an effort.

Unable to get in anywhere, we went along to the Stag Inn in All Saints Street, which was not one of the official Fat Tuesday venues.  Now the Stag Inn is special.  It has regular folk music and shanty nights, and a loyal clientele drawn from the local population.  As newcomers we always feel slight outsiders, but that's more to do with our lack of facial hair than the welcome, which is invariably warm.  Last night there were about eight musicians sitting round a table playing a variety of instruments - clarinet, guitar, concertina, violin, flute and what looked like a couple of lutes.  It was brilliant diddly-dee stuff and we loved it.  The high spot was probably the lady who sang a sad shanty with a refrain that we all joined in to sing - "They won't let us go to sea any more".   When I asked if I could take her photo she insisted on displaying her Fat Tuesday T-shirt.  Her smile says it all.

 

Antony Mair