Hastings Pirate Day organisers distance themselves from local event

International Talk Like a Pirate Day takes place on Saturday September 19 and pirate group The Crazy Captain of the Seven Seas and Crew, from Kent, will be taking to the streets of Hastings dressed as pirates.

Billed as a day of ‘mayhem, mischief and fun’ pirates will be on the seafront and around the town centre from 11am – 6pm to meet and greet people. They stressed it was a separate event from Hastings Pirate Day.

But organisers of the official event have issued a statement to say: “International Talk Like a Pirate Day was a parody holiday started in the USA in 1985.

"In the early 2000's a few locals participated, but it was soon outgrown by Hastings Pirate Day. The event scheduled for September 19 in Hastings has absolutely nothing to do with the organisers of Hastings Pirate Festival.

"We are the authorised organisers and trademark owners of the main pirate event held in Hastings and this event, programmed in the same town and at the same demographic, is causing confusion and enquiries as to whom is responsible for organising it.

"We are therefore making it clear that this is a separate event, not organised by ourselves and therefore we are not legally responsible.”