Restaurant is sorely missed

As I seldom pass that way, it was only recently I became aware of the sad closure of the Lakhmi Mahal (formerly and originally known as the Taj Mahal) restaurant at the foot of Western Road in St Leonards.

It opened to a fanfare of publicity, attracted visits by royalty (Amber Rudd) and was patronised by VIPs (Jeremy Birch). It was initially extremely popular with the locals, who flocked there in large numbers: tables had to be booked.

It offered an arguably unique culinary experience in Hastings: a wide variety of authentic North and South Indian dishes freshly prepared from scratch by a friendly Indian woman in full view of the hungry customers.

It was inevitably hailed as a rip-roaring success story for multi-cultural Hastings.

Why it fell into decline is hard to say. The location did it no favours. Eccentrically, and somewhat perversely, it failed to offer tea or coffee after meals.

It did not weather the icy blasts of Hastings’ mercilessly harsh and exposing economic climate. Whatever the cause or causes, it is sorely missed.