Art and culture could revitalise an historic town. Here's how.
Hastings is synomynous with the Norman Conquest in 1066. The town has scars to prove its connection, for using the earthworks of the existing Saxon building, William the Conqueror built a castle here which now lies in ruins.
The town suffered raids by the French during the 14th century and was destroyed more than once. The castle cliffs were later cut away to construct elegant Pelham Crescent and Wellington Square in celebration of the end of the Napoleonic War.
Snug in a sheltered valley, the medieval Old Town is characterised by its labyrinthine narrow passageways, pretty cottages, boutiques, antique shops and coffee shops. This is the home of Europe's largest beachside fishing fleet.
The town suffered raids by the French during the 14th century and was destroyed more than once. The castle cliffs were later cut away to construct elegant Pelham Crescent and Wellington Square in celebration of the end of the Napoleonic War.
Snug in a sheltered valley, the medieval Old Town is characterised by its labyrinthine narrow passageways, pretty cottages, boutiques, antique shops and coffee shops. This is the home of Europe's largest beachside fishing fleet.
But Hastings has suffered. Despite it fashionable status during Victorian times, when people flocked to partake of the new recreation of sea-bathing and the town's population swelled to 60,000, it fell into disrepair and despondency. Today, with 87,000 inhabitants it is the third largest town in East Sussex (after Brighton & Hove and Eastbourne). But most of the private enterprise employers are small and unemployment is double the county average. House prices are lower as a consequence, motor theft is higher than it should be, as are sex-offence and violence statistics. This is not the worst place in England by any stretch, but a rejuvenation would uplift and promote the town. Higher employment levels would follow.
So I thought of Asilah in Morocco. With around 30,000 people, it's a third of the size. But it's a seaside place that has also experienced harder times, and it sits only twenty miles south of Tangier, a heaving metropolis of 700,000.
All Moroccan towns have their spice souks and colourful festivals, but none has achieved the artistic acclaim of Asilah. The BBC reported, "the process began in 1978 when a few cleverly placed licks of paint began the transformation of a rat-infested, rubbish-strewn eyesore with open sewers into a clean and environmentally aware city. Setting up a festival based on festooning the town's white walls with murals was a deliberate tactic by its photographer mayor, Mohamed Benaissa, to encourage civic pride in the town. "We don't have any resources other than the cultural abilities and imagination of our residents," he explains. "But my faith in them has paid off." Mayor Benaissa says he has different priorities from other festival directors, who may not even live in the city hosting the event. "This city council has a duty to provide its citizens with shelter, employment and basic infrastructure," he says. "We dovetail these with running the festival.""
All Moroccan towns have their spice souks and colourful festivals, but none has achieved the artistic acclaim of Asilah. The BBC reported, "the process began in 1978 when a few cleverly placed licks of paint began the transformation of a rat-infested, rubbish-strewn eyesore with open sewers into a clean and environmentally aware city. Setting up a festival based on festooning the town's white walls with murals was a deliberate tactic by its photographer mayor, Mohamed Benaissa, to encourage civic pride in the town. "We don't have any resources other than the cultural abilities and imagination of our residents," he explains. "But my faith in them has paid off." Mayor Benaissa says he has different priorities from other festival directors, who may not even live in the city hosting the event. "This city council has a duty to provide its citizens with shelter, employment and basic infrastructure," he says. "We dovetail these with running the festival.""
Asilah's restoration has created a "place for debate as well as culture" the BBC continued. The opening of a huge new Art Museum has been the high point of a regenerative process. Kuwaiti money has shot in to support the festival, Qatari funds have rebuilt housing estates, and the list of completed projects is extensive.
Maybe Hastings could take a leaf from Asilah's book? Then the trendies of Brighton, the art aficianados of London and Lewis, tourists from France, Holland and Germany would descend on the town to admire, participate and contribute along with the locals. And Hastings would once again be the talk of the chattering classes.
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