Anger after public amenities fenced off by Hastings Seafood and Wine Festival

The Victorian shelter, on Rock-a-Nore Road, is a popular spot to avoid a rain shower and enjoy local seafood and fish and chip take-aways.

But it was screened off by metal fencing, which wasn’t removed until Tuesday lunchtime – two days after the event had finished.

They also barred the public’s way from accessing a popular wishing well, which is one of the busiest donation points of Hastings Winkle Club.

The late removal of fences meant that the popular Stade Open Space was unusable for a full day on Monday.

Local resident Gareth Stone said of the shelter seating: “This is a well used public seating area, well outside of the Stade Open Space. What right have they got to fence it off like that? It is totally unnecessary and unacceptable.”

Regular Hastings visitor Michael Daley said: “My wife and I wanted to enjoy our fish and chips on the bench as it has a great view of the East Hill. It is annoying they fenced off public seating. I can’t see the reason for it.”

Reg Wood from Hastings Winkle Club said he intended to make the committee aware that the wishing well donation point had been fenced off.

Local resident Sue Duffey said: “My kids love to use the Stade Open Space to ride their bikes after school and they couldn’t do that on Monday. This is a well used open public area and the fencing should have been removed way earlier.”

A spokesperson for organisers CIC Stade Events and said: “We would like to apologise from all on CIC Stade Events. Things were going wrong and the fencing was eventually done by security for us as a great favour.”

A spokesperson for Hastings Borough Council said: “Hastings Borough Council did not organise this event, and there was no agreement by us to have the shelter or the wishing well closed off during it. We will raise it with the organisers during our debrief and clarify that access must be maintained in the future.”