Pett

Pett Road

RYE & BATTLE OBSERVER – VILLAGE VOICE

PETT & PETT LEVEL

Approximately 50 people turned up for the meeting on the proposed downgrading of The Ridge fire station on Saturday October 27 at Pett Village Hall. Adrian Brown from the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service outlined the reasons for the proposal. It appeared that moving a fire engine from The Ridge to Bohemia Road would improve the service to 10,400 residents of Hastings, of whom some 4,100 were considered the most vulnerable. It would also reduce staff costs. Mr Brown accepted that 900 residents in the borough of Hastings would receive a slower response. The residents of the surrounding villages who will also be adversely affected by this proposal did not feature in these calculations.

Members of the audience also heard from East Sussex County Councillors Matthew Lock, Carl Maynard and Phil Scott, as well as a representative of the Fire Brigades Union and Sarah Owen, the Labour Party Parliamentary candidate. All were opposed to the proposal.

In a very lively open session Rother District Councillor Robin Patten also made his opposition clear, along with all those who spoke. Those attending were also urged to sign petitions against this proposal. The consultation remains open until December 6, with a Public Meeting being held on November 7 at The Hastings Centre, The Ridge, Hastings, TN34 2SA between 6.30pm and 8.30pm. All are welcome.

Also on Saturday October 27 the Village Quiz was held in Pett Village Hall. 15 teams participated in a great evening and nearly £300 was raised for hall funds. A big thank you to the organisers who made it such a great success.

It was a busy weekend in Pett as on Sunday October 28 the congregation was larger than usual in St Mary and St Peter, to meet the new Rector, Richard Barron. The service was followed by a delicious lunch in Pett Methodist Chapel and Richard and his wife Kath were made to feel truly welcome.

Church Services on Sunday November 4 – Holy Communion led by David Wotton, St Mary & St Peter, Pett at 9:30am; Sunday Service at the Methodist Chapel at 10:45am.

*** Help! Pett Village Hall Needs You! The Village Hall is a huge asset for the village since being built in 2001. However, most people who use it or attend functions or clubs held in the hall probably don’t realise how much money is needed to maintain it.

In the past revenue has kept pace with the running costs but after 11 years of near constant use, some of the fixtures and fittings need replacing. The most expensive of these is a replacement floor with the quote coming in at £13,000. This together with other items that have been or will need to be replaced means that some £20,000 is required, not forgetting VAT.

The Village Hall Committee is asking for help to keep the Village Hall solvent, otherwise there is grave concern that it might have to close. If you have any ideas for fundraising - events, applying for grants, etc., please come to the next Village Hall Committee meeting, which will be held on Monday November 5. The place? Pett Village Hall of course, starting at 6:30pm.

POPP on Tuesday November 6 will feature Hat Day (Stories of our hats.). The session runs from 10:30am to 2:30pm and will include a two-course lunch for just £5.

The Village Coffee Morning has come around again! On Wednesday November 7, starting at 10am at Pett Village Hall, Sally and her team will be ready to welcome you with excellent coffee and a great selection of cakes.