Fuga Peccadilloes | Marketings & Design | Website | Hastings, East Sussex

To spin or not to spin
We (Fuga) talk quite a lot about how much we like Hastings & St. Leonards – it’s necessary as on occasion the less than appealing aspects of living and working in this area can get you down ... issues like the phenomenal amount of litter that can some days be found on the streets and on the beach ... the rather too many and rather too loud individuals that punctuate their less than erudite opinions with expletives - and add to that local government legislation targeted at the regenerative “low hanging fruit” ... and on some grey days it can be quite difficult to feel positive.


The wonderful aspects to living and working in St. Leonards
There are the other days – brilliant days – the days when walking to work along Norman Road you stop to look in the wonderful array of shop windows and stay a while to have a chat with the owners - “dynamic individuals to a man or woman”, people that have collectively created one of the most eclectic streets in Hastings & St. Leonards, a unique community of the best of the Great British tradition of “shopkeepers”.


Norman Road has been known for antiques since the 1950s
Twenty years ago Norman Road was a busy, commercial street, but as with many seaside towns it was neglected, overlooked and frankly abused by short-sighted governing bodies and left to fall into decline. But as with everything in life there are seasons — cycles of interest and activity — and with its new lease of life, a thriving cluster of new businesses and people have joined the old stalwarts on the street ... below is a selection of our favourite shops (and destinations) on Norman Road St. Leonards-on-Sea ...

Jacobin The French Furniture Shop
Jacobin sources almost everything from France. Ruth and Joe restore and upholster all the stock themselves - and it’s beautifully done. From imposing one-off wardrobes and feature chairs to kitchen tables, jugs and chandeliers, even plants and furniture for the garden - there’s something for every room of the house. “Before we moved here we loved the energy on Norman Road,” says Ruth, “And now we’re part of such a great community that it’s a pleasure to be in the shop.” Ruth & Joe make a trip to France each month, so it’s worth regular trips to check out new stock. “Our premise is that we source furniture we love ourselves,” says Joe.

40 Norman Road
Telephone: 01424 435200.
Website: www.jacobin.co.uk
Open Weds-Sun 10am-5pm

McCarron's
Rachel and Justin McCarron opened this summer. Fresh and tasteful, the interior of their gift and lifestyle-accessory shop feels like a welcoming living room. Both actors, the McCarrons also had a passion to own a shop. “Norman Road has so much potential and it’s so charming - if we were going to do it anywhere, it had to be here. It used to be the Old Town for unusual presents, but now you needn’t look further than Norman Road.” The shop stocks a wealth of local talent: Sally Walton’s bags, Visionary Soap, as well as products from further a field such as Greengate, True Grace Candles and organic baby products.

64 Norman Road.
Telephone: 01424 428929
Open Tues-Sun 10am –5pm

Eras of Style
2,000 square feet of furniture, from Georgian to 1980s Danish leather design icons: totally eclectic. Andy and Christine stock furniture that’s “Decorative but functional”. They’ve been selling to interior designers, to the trade and for photo-shoots from Norman Road for years, but now they’ve moved into a vast new space, they’re much more accessible to the public - still at good prices. “Get down here quickly to take advantage!” says Andy. There’s new furniture on a daily basis. “The whole community here as well as Norman Road has changed for the better,” they say. “New people bring new ideas and are making it vibrant and interesting.”

32-34 Norman Road.
Telephone: 07974 178760
Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm

Dawg’s Biscuits
Bakers of the finest natural and healthy dog treats in the world, Dawg’s treats each have a health benefit, as well as being totally top tasty. Calm Dawg helps dogs that are frightened by fireworks and bangs; Scratchbuster helps with, well, scratching, and works so well, that dogs come off medication. Dawg’s hand bake and hand make the gourmet treats both on and off premises in St Leonards, and supply from the shop at 65 Norman Road, the website www.dogstreats.co.uk as well as markets, vets and petshops in Sussex, London and throughout the country.

The Dawg’s Biscuits— It’s a health thing!
65 Norman Road
Telepone: 01424 424682

QOL—Quality of Life
Local café and deli owner Spike, provides Norman Road with a delightfully cosy place to enjoy a good quality, reasonably-priced meal or a cup of coffee – and so much more. “I want it to be the hub of the local community,” Spike explains. And it certainly seems to be already: while we’re chatting, three local business owners pop in for a late lunch. It’s clear that Spike’s friendly and relaxed personality is key to the venture – she chats to her customers about what they’d like, then accommodates their requirements. And is Norman Road living up to expectations? “Yes, it’s a wonderful place to be, and so many delightful people living and working around here.”

You can find QOL at 39 Norman Road
Open from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday.

St Clement’s
The backbone of this already celebrated restaurant is that all produce is totally fresh and local - from within a 30-mile radius. Owner Nick Hales came to St Leonards for the proximity of great produce. Fish is a speciality, bought straight off the boats (the Four Brothers his favourite); fruit and veg is served within two days of picking. Nothing on this menu sounds pretentious: local smoked fish; chicken breast with bubble and squeak, apple crumble. Prices are surprisingly affordable - set menu £14.50. Nick is like his menu: genuine. “I pick out the fish in the morning, don my chef-whites for lunch and do a bit of flower arranging in the restaurant in the afternoon!” www.stclementsrestaurant.co.uk

Mercatoria (looking down Norman Road)
Telephone: 01424 200 355

Source: www.hastingshandbook.co.uk

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