What is the point of having an annual Seafood and Wine Festival in Hastings?

Why does Hastings have a Seafood and Wine Festival?

It’s a great success and gets away with charging people £4 to visit places we can all visit for free elsewhere, but what is the point of it?

Surely in a town with a fishing industry surrounded by vineyards and food producers this experience to visitors should be on offer throughout the year, every weekend. Not just as festivals that require organising and marketing on a large scale.

Having lived next to Borough Market in London and seen its phenomenal growth as people seek fresh and varied produce I cannot understand why every weekend around the fishing huts there isn’t a market selling fresh fish, complimented by street food, fruit and veg, meats, cheeses and other produce. It’s a no brainer.

The tourist economy and visitor experience needs a consistent weekly offering which can be developed year on year. So people can visit Hastings any week of the year and have a similar quality experience. Festivals are a great way to start projects and measure interest but it’s time to move forward and turn this one into something more meaningful that will boost the economy and ultimately create jobs.