LawLaw Courts

HASTINGS: COMBINED COURT

GETTING THERE FROM LONDON to HASTINGS / ST LEONARDS WARRIOR SQUARE STATION

The journey between London and Hastings can take from 1 hour 30 minutes to just over 2 hours

Direct trains depart from:
a. London Victoria
b. London Charing Cross
c. London Cannon Street
d. London St Pancras

Trains are about 1 an hour from each station. The St Pancras line is the fastest as it runs fast to Ashford international where you change to a slower train, although Charing cross is also quite fast and has the advantage of no change.

A return ticket at peak time costs around £46. For frequent travellers involved in a case lasting over 3 days a weekly travel card is the cheaper option and can include tube and bus travel in London within the price. 2 single tickets will generally work out more expensive.

COURT DETAILS
The Civil / Family/Magistrates courts are all situated in the same building, on different levels.

Areas covered; Family law, general civil matters, crime.

Address:
The Law Courts
Bohemia Road
Hastings
East Sussex
TN34 1QX

GETTING THERE FROM HASTINGS / ST LEONARDS WARRIOR SQUARE STATION
Both stations are about equal distance from the court complex. There is a taxi service right outside both stations, although Warrior Square has far fewer taxis readily available. The taxi ride to the court from either station should take around 10 minutes and cost £5-6 but can be up to £10.
By foot from St Leonards Warrior Square the journey takes between 10-15 minutes.
Directions: From the platform walk over the footbridge and down the steps to where the taxis are and the Alpha cafe on your left.

Turn left into St John’s road. It’s uphill. Left into Chapel Park Road, still quite hilly. Walk past rows of houses. Turn right into Bohemia Road. There’s a BP station with a Costa and a Lidl supermarket on your right. Walk past it along the road. Cross over when you see a sign on the opposite side for the police station and law courts. Turn left into a complex called Horntye Park. The court building is towards your right.

From Hastings station, the route is uphill and generally not to be recommended, especially if you have heavy bags. The journey should take between 10-15 minutes.You can either cross the station car and taxi park towards the town if you fancy picking up a sandwich from a range of the usual chain coffee shops or small coffee/sandwich shops. Or you can veer right and turn right into the main road leading to the courts, Bohemia Road. The court complex at Horntye Park is on your right.

SUSTENANCE IN HASTINGS
There is a swanky new cafeteria inside the court building. It sells a range of sandwiches, soft drinks and cakes. Sandwiches or toast will be freshly made up on request and the range of breads and rolls is impressive, the ingredients fresh. There are no other eating places in the immediate vicinity of the court. It may be safer to pick up a sandwich from the station at Hastings or for a wider choice, from the town centre.

FOR A LEISURELY LUNCH:
You’re by the sea, so a great fish and chip shop is a must.
Neptune fish at 4-6 Pleasant Row, Hastings TN34 3AS is popular and highly rated. The fish is lovely and fresh and chips experts give it a huge thumbs up.

The Double Decker cafe may seem like a novelty; a cafe on a bus but it is hugely popular because the food is good.

Mr Bean in the Meadow shopping centre has a good reputation for fresh home made food and generous portions.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN HASTINGS

There’s the sea of-course! The beach is sandy, unlike pebbly Brighton and there are plenty of benches on the roadside too, where you can sit after a busy day in court and contemplate life and the universe.

Hastings is quite a run down town in parts and doesn’t have the buzzy chic of Brighton but the old town is pretty and has a number of cafes where you can sit and read an antique book you picked up from one of the many shops that line places such as George Street. There is the fading grandeur of once beautiful old buildings to still admire and the fishing fleet on the beach to marvel over as well as the fishing museum.

Jerwood gallery on Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings TN34 3DW. A controversial building with some locals but worth a visit for its British art contents.

If you need to stay over in Hastings, my recommendation, at one time, would have been the fabulous Swan house B+B but that has sadly closed. The owners now run the Old Rectory House which I haven’t tried yet but if it’s even half as good as the Swan, it’s the place to stay. Sadly too, the  excellent Whites seafood restaurant on George Street has also closed, but there are a still a few restaurants in the area that will provide a decent supper.

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