Andy does like to be beside the sea
A WELL-known pop star has lifted the lid on his decision to move to Hastings - and spoken of how much he loves the town.
Andy Bell, who shot to fame in the 1980s with chart sensations Erasure, left London for 1066 Country to be nearer his long-term boyfriend, and says he does not regret it one bit.
Speaking in the run-up to the release of his band's greatest hits album, the musician said: "I was going backwards and forwards seeing him, and I just wanted to go down there and see how I got on with him.
"Dave (his boyfriend) is born and bred in the town and he's a fisherman's son, so people have been really friendly to me, walking down the street.
"He works for Church's bakery. He takes the bread to markets, sometimes four a week, and it's quite a lot of work for him."
Selling this bread is something Andy is only to happy to help out with, which has led to the strange scenario of the 80s pop sensation selling bread to the Cheeky Girls.
However, despite a host of hit singles, the Transylvanians are none the wiser. "They haven't got a clue who I am," said Bell, "I was thinking that hopefully the penny might drop because they've seen me on TV or something.
"How sad I am – I thought maybe I should make them a CD of suggestions of songs that would be good for their voice. Some people do recognise me when I'm working on the stall, and they think that I'm not making music anymore and that's my new thing."
So he clearly loves his partner, and he loves flogging bread to pop duos, but what does he think of Hastings? "Moving to Hastings has brought me down to earth. It's very working class and a bit rough, but at the same time there are a lot of artists living down there.
"Because there's not much going on in the evenings people tend to make their own entertainment, go round each other's houses and have a little party.
"We've DJ'd at the scout hut, we have bonfires on the beach. It's good home fun.
"When you're in London you're a stranger, and that's why you go there in the first place, for some anonymity, and for me because I wanted to be in a band. In Hastings I feel like that's all behind me, even though I'm still in a band.
"I love the fishing heritage of Hastings. I've always had this romantic notion about going off to sea, and the sea is in a lot of our songs.
"One of the toughest jobs in the world is being a fisherman, and Dave has that in his blood. It's quite funny because he doesn't like fish. I love it, because I was a landlocked boy I suppose."
It seems another Londoner has fallen in love with life by the sea and another celebrity has upped sticks and moved to 1066 Country. And for any Erasure fans hoping to accidentally bump into him, where can they expect to find him? "There's curry night in the Hastings Arms on a Tuesday, it's only 6.50 and you get a glass of wine as well.
"I like having those little routines that fill up the week."
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Weather for Hastings
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 13 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: West
